Lohmen fights in court: National Park regulation under criticism!

Lohmen fights in court: National Park regulation under criticism!

In the Saxon Switzerland National Park, more precisely in the tranquil Kirnitzschtal, there is a lot of turmoil: the community of Lohmen has filed a lawsuit against the 2003 National Park Ordinance. This regulation expands the powers of the national park administration and makes construction projects in the region significantly more complicated. Instead, nature conservation permits that were previously managed by the municipalities should now be obtained. In the eyes of Mayor Silke Großmann, this is not only a hindrance, but also illegal.

The community had already attempted to go to court in 2003, but so far there has been no hearing. “We want more scope for municipal developments,” says Großmann. And there is a reason for this: planned projects, such as the construction of public toilets and sales areas for local retailers, are stuck. District Administrator Michael Geisler vehemently supports the lawsuit and criticizes the National Park Ordinance, which, in his opinion, does not create trust and acceptance among municipalities.

Sounds like a conflict: national park vs. municipality

But it's not just Lohmen that faces challenges. The dispute originally arose over the construction of new parking spaces at the popular Bastei viewing point, which has now been resolved. But even after the fire in 2022, the tensions between the municipalities, the residents and the national park administration have not subsided. A citizens' initiative is even calling for the national park to be downgraded to a nature park in order to allow for human influences. Christoph Hasse, co-founder of the initiative, sees the incompatibility of national park status with the needs of the tourism industry.

On the other side is Uwe Borrmeister, who has been the new national park boss since 2023. He highlights the benefits of national park status, particularly in relation to forest fire prevention and tourism infrastructure. It will be interesting to see the decision of the Higher Administrative Court in Bautzen, which is due on August 28, 2023. Actually, the decision could confirm the national park regulations, repeal parts of them or even declare them invalid.

A complex interaction

In total, the national park covers an area of ​​9,350 hectares, which turns out to be rather small by international standards. Critics criticize the high human impact on the area and question whether establishing such a park of this size really makes sense. The region, which as part of Saxony is home to a variety of ecosystems, could also benefit from better integration of local needs into park management.

The boundaries of the national park are well documented and recorded on maps from the State Ministry of Environment and Agriculture. These maps show the zones in the park in great detail and are prepared according to various scales. The Saxon Switzerland National Park and Forestry Administration acts as a regional unit of SACHSENFORST and looks after not only the national park, but also the surrounding landscape protection area.

These developments raise questions that concern not only local residents but also the tourism industry, which has faced various challenges in recent years. What will happen next in Lohmen remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the conflict between nature conservation and municipal interests is far from resolved.

Further information about the National Park Regulations can be found at superillu.de, Details about the cards can be found on revosax.sachsen.de read about it, and for information about how to look after the park, we refer you to the offer from Saxon Switzerland National Park Administration.