With just a few clicks, citizens can now report deficiencies or problems in the Rhineland-Pfalz state forests and provide ideas or suggestions to the forestry authorities. This is made possible by a new portal called “WaldEcho Rheinland-Pfalz» including app and website, presented by Environment Minister Katrin Eder (Green Party) in the Ober-Olm Forest near Mainz.
For example, “WaldEcho Rhineland-Palatinate” can be used to record damaged benches or fences, car tires discarded in the woods, trash bags left in the bushes, or fallen trees on the trail. The information is sent to the forestry administration responsible for state forests.
Information and locations end up at the forestry office
Reports should be assigned to a category, such as wildlife, hiking trails, logging, fallen trees, or forest debris. A photo can then be uploaded and the facts can be briefly explained.
Information about invasive species, for example non-native species, may also be provided. Information including its location automatically reaches the responsible forestry service. According to the ministry, you are required to respond with the first processing step within eight days.
The traffic light system shows the status
In simple cases, such as a dropped nest box, the problem can be resolved quickly; in more complex cases, the portal must continuously provide information about the status via a traffic light system. Once completed, the notification symbol on the card turns green. If the problem is under the responsibility of another body, such as an association maintaining hiking trails, the report is submitted to the forestry administration.
The ministry spoke about a project that is unique in Germany. This system has previously been tested in a number of forestry offices, from Kaiserslautern to the Donnersberg district.
Ministry: The trial operation was successful
Eder emphasized that residents’ responses are always positive. “You feel taken seriously and appreciated.” According to the Ministry of Forestry, most testing operations involve waste or fallen trees. Reports of deer deaths were also received.
Governance is sometimes viewed with skepticism and assumed to have a certain inertia, Eder said. The new portal should address this, also for greater transparency.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251124-930-333883/1
