With blanket trail bans for mountain bikers and other forest visitors as well as massive usage restrictions for smaller groups, the draft of a new Hessian forest law caused a stir. With their campaign "Open Trails Hessen" the DIMB mobilised more than 45,700 participants in the corresponding Online petition. The opposition to the draft law paid off, the Hessian Environment Minister Lucia Puttrich relented and invited all interest groups that had submitted comments as part of the legislative process for the new Hessian Forest Act to the so-called round table on 17 September 2012.
Thomas Kleinjohann, Chairman of the DIMB, reported a successful conclusion to the negotiations after the five-hour marathon of talks in which the representatives of the various user associations met in Wiesbaden on 17 September 2012. Instead of continuing to fight against each other in public, all interest groups moved towards each other and discussed solutions objectively and constructively. The mutually agreed results were written down as guidelines and summarised in a Press release from the Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (HMUELV) published. The position of mountain bikers, horse riders and all other forest visitors travelling in groups in the forest has been significantly strengthened.
The agreed guidelines for a new draft of the Hessian Forest Act are as follows:
- The forest should be usable for everyone.
- It is essential that users show mutual respect for each other and for nature. Priority must be given to the weaker party.
- Cycling or horse riding should only be possible on officially created, paved or natural paths on which forest visitors can safely pass each other.
- The illegal creation of paths must be prevented.
- To resolve conflicts, it makes sense to guide visitors by designating special bridleways or mountain bike trails.
- Events which, due to their nature and scope, could have an adverse effect on the forest require the consent of the owner. This also applies to commercial events.
- The concept of impairment must be defined.
- There is no provision regulating the right of entry of several persons to pursue a common purpose.
- The associations involved are endeavouring to conclude a voluntary agreement on the practice of nature sports in Hessian forests in order to promote the necessary local and regional understanding.
"We cyclists are particularly relieved that we have been able to revise the impression created in the public debate that cyclists want to ride everywhere through the forest regardless of the consequences," said Kleinjohann, expressing his satisfaction. After all, the demand for Open Trails! has always been inextricably linked with the addition that the trails "should be usable for cyclists, provided this is compatible with nature conservation and socially acceptable." This is exactly what it says on the DIMB website.
Thus, the agreement to the approach of mutual consideration and the intended restriction of cycling to paths "on which safe passing traffic is possible" was not a problem. DIMB Chairman Thomas Kleinjohann is optimistic about the future: "If areas of conflict with corresponding hazards are identified, we cyclists are then called upon to play an active role on site, for example in the installation of a functioning visitor guidance system. For us, this means that any path closures that are actually necessary should generally be accompanied by an attractive alternative offer so that acceptance of the measure is as high as possible. If the dialogue that has begun is continued in such a constructive manner, this should also be successful."
Sebastian Brust
Editor
