Due to protests from residents of Helenaveen, a plan by Staatsbosbeheer to install wolf grids in the Mariapeel may not go ahead. The fences must protect land goats in the Mariapeel from the wolf during lambing season. The fear among residents is that the fences increase the chance of confrontations between people and the wolf.
Forest ranger Lieke Verhoeven of Staatsbosbeheer confirms that the initial plan has been called into question due to resistance from residents. “A new consultation is planned in February between the Helenaveen village council and Staatsbosbeheer. We hope that a solution will be found.”
Staatsbosbeheer’s plan was to install kilometers of fences in the Mariapeel to keep wolves away from a herd of goats. These animals graze the nature reserve and when they are pregnant are in a meadow that needs extra protection according to Staatsbosbeheer.
This concerns a part of the Mariapeel on the border of Brabant and Limburg near Helenaveen. A permit was already requested from the municipality of Horst aan de Maas in December to erect the fences on the Limburg part.
“Children and grandchildren should be able to play here in peace.”
In the municipality of Deurne on the other side of the Mariapeel, things have not gotten that far. A group of Helenaveen residents are against the plans, the village council confirms. The residents of Koolweg in particular do not like the idea of the fences being installed.
A map from Staatsbosbeheer shows that the fences would be at the back of their backyards. Resident Lilyan Taminiau is afraid that a wolf will be driven through the fences towards people, because it will go to the streets, gardens and paths due to a lack of escape options. “This plan creates unwise and unsafe situations,” says Taminiau. “People’s children and grandchildren should be able to play here in peace.”
She emphasizes that she is not against the wolf. “Instead of opening the Mariapeel to the wolf, Staatsbosbeheer is closing the area with this plan. It is now also a safe haven for other animals such as deer and badgers. You can forget that when the wolf grids come in.” According to Taminiau, the grids would also be at the expense of the biodiversity of the area.
“We don’t want to wait for the wolf.”
According to forester Verhoeven, the fences are a preventive measure to protect the land goats. “No wolf has settled here yet. But we don’t want to wait for it either.” As the owner of the goat herd, Staatsbosbeheer has a legal obligation to provide protection.
Taminiau is confident that the residents and Staatsbosbeheer will reach an agreement. According to her, an alternative is for the goats to be given a safe stable during the lambing period. Staatsbosbeheer says that there is also talk about flexible fences that are only there when necessary.
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