The natural outrage in the Rappenalptal south of Oberstdorf is now also occupying the state government and the state parliament. “The Allgäu High Alps are a very special region, not just for tourists and day-trippers,” said Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr (FW) during an on-site visit on Wednesday. “But also as a habitat for chamois, marmots and other special species.” Glauber was affected by the destruction caused by the dredging and leveling of the Rappenalpbach. “What was a freely meandering mountain stream is now a cratered landscape,” he said. “Extreme damage has been inflicted on the previously intact nature.” Faithr announced that the crime in nature would be “fully clarified” and spoke out in favor of exploiting all possible punishments that environmental law provides for such an offence.
The Greens are demanding that the incident become an issue in the state parliament. The member of parliament and chair of the environmental committee, Rosi Steinberger, called it a “crime against nature” and demanded severe punishment for those responsible. It is also about deterring any imitators. “We are dealing with one of the worst interventions in protected areas in Bavaria,” she said. “It will take years for nature to recover from this massive environmental destruction – if that succeeds at all.” Steinberger demanded a comprehensive report from the state government, for which “the environment minister had to come to the committee.”
In the meantime, all possible authorities are dealing with the processing of the crime. Faithr has commissioned the Swabian government to coordinate the documentation of the damage to the nature reserve and to develop a rehabilitation concept. “Everything must be done to restore the nature reserve,” said the minister, “even if it will certainly take years and in the end it is doubtful whether it will succeed.” After all, it is also about flood protection for those below. The entire course of the stream was massively damaged over a length of 1.6 kilometers by the dredging work. At the same time, Glauber emphasized that his house, but also the district government, the Oberallgäu district office and the municipality of Oberstdorf, on whose corridor the Rappenalp valley is located, fully supported the criminal investigations.
The Rappenalptal is one of the highest-ranking protected areas in Bavaria, both under German and European nature conservation law. But not only that. The dredging and channeling of the mountain stream is also prohibited under the European water law. Apparently, the Alpine cooperative, whose members farm the Alps in the area, committed the crime against nature. Your chairman refuses to comment on the allegations, citing the criminal investigation. Minister of the Environment, Glauber, is unclear about the motives of the alpine people. “You’ll have to ask her yourself about that,” he replied to a corresponding question during his on-site visit.