VGT chairman on Pröll guest comment press: Hunting and forestry have failed

With the total use of wild animals and nature, humanity has maneuvered itself to the edge of the abyss – an immediate change of course is necessary: ​​referendum on the Federal Hunting Act

Vienna (OTS) – The current state hunting master and former agriculture minister DI Josef Pröll has with his Guest commentary in the daily newspaper “Die Presse” proved that he has no insight into the major problems at hand and therefore no willingness to seriously tackle solutions. VGT chairman DDr. Martin Balluch comments: “His assertion that a climate-friendly living space requires ‘harvesters, brains and cultivation’ can hardly be surpassed in terms of ignorance. The harvester is a vehicle weighing over 20 tons that, when driven on the forest floor, causes severe damage to it for centuries by compacting the soil, crushing the cavities and destroying the soil life. Forestry focused on clear-cutting using harvesters produces age-class forests with spruce monoculture and reduces the forest to an agricultural area analogous to the kukuruz field. Such a forest is the opposite of climate-fit, all functions of the forest are used to protect against the effects of climate change, from protection against floods and drought to protection from heat and pollutants in the air to protection against the bark beetle and the storage of carbon thus destroyed. On the other hand, we need biodiversity, species-rich forests with age structures and forestry with individual tree removal without heavy machinery.”

And Balluch continues: “But also the maintenance of completely excessive hoofed game populations with winter gates and all year round feedings is the wrong way. In Austria we have the highest density of roe deer in Europe (1) or even in the world. The result is dramatic deer browsing in the forest, which prevents any natural regeneration other than the spruce in many areas. But these fattening facilities are also for the wild animals out of selfish hunting interests trophy cult anything but good: the deer and stags change their natural digestion in winter, are more susceptible to illness, have an increased parasite infestation, higher hunting pressure and generally much more stress. In short: Brain excludes Harvester and Hege.”

And Balluch concludes: “Pröll’s statements reflect exactly the mentality of the total use of nature that has brought us species extinction and climate change. He calls the animal and nature conservation organizations dogmatic and not solution-oriented, but he himself has no criticism of what has happened so far and offers a solution other than business as usual. Pröll, and with him the conventional hunter community, sees nature exclusively as a resource for human purposes, be it for frivolous purposes such as shooting rare animal species such as the capercaillie or harmless animal species such as the marmot. On the other hand, there is respect for nature, the understanding that nature is not just there for people, that wild animals also have a right to life and a habitat that is not disturbed by humans, and that jungle and biodiversity, including large predators, are the keys for are a survival of the planet.“

This was the first step in this direction Referendum for a federal hunting law initiated, which is currently collecting declarations of support that can be submitted in person at any municipal office or online via ID Austria so that it can take place in 2025. The 14 points This referendum would change hunting from a selfish activity – to capture large trophies to the detriment of nature and animals – to an activity in the public interest to promote biodiversity.

(1) Apollonio, M, Andersen et al.: European ungulates and their managementin the 21st century. Cambridge University Press , 2010 .

Questions & Contact:

VGT – ASSOCIATION AGAINST ANIMAL FACTORIES
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