No wind power plant in Allenberg forest!

The photo shows the Allenberg, a hill in Bliesmengen-Bolchen, in whose forest several wind turbines are to be built, each about 250 meters high. The lettering "Menge-Bolche" in the center of the picture consists of letters six meters high.

The administrators of the township of Mandelbachtal (Saarland, Germany) and Juwi corp., a big electric company, are currently pursuing concrete plans to build several wind power plants in the Allenberg forest between the villages of Bliesmengen-Bolchen, Bebelsheim and Habkirchen - in the middle of the Bliesgau UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. All residents over the age of 16 who live in the township are to be polled on this issue at the state elections polling places on March 27th, 2022.

We, the Initiative against windpower plants, think the public is not sufficiently informed about the consequences of wind power plants in the Allenberg forest. We want to inform the Mandelbachtal residents of said issue and also give people outside the community the opportunity to speak out against the Mandelbachtal township board’s wind power plans.

What are the reasons against wind power in the Allenberg forest?

Destruction of huge forest areas: The area on the Allenberg hill that is being considered for the construction of wind power plants is mainly on forestland. Erection and construction of the turbines would require foundations as well as access roads for transport and maintenance, which means a large part of this forest would have to be cleared. Reforestation would take decades.

Threat to biodiversity: the massive clearing of the forest would result in the loss of the habitat of various protected animal and plant species. Endangered bird species, including the red kite, which is native to the area, would be threatened by the fast rotating wind turbines. A similar construction project in the Allenberg forest was stopped five years ago due to these reasons.

Expected damage from heavy rains: Bliesmengen-Bolchen and Bebelsheim in particular have been repeatedly affected by flooding in recent years. Flooding will increase in the future if forests are destroyed and huge land surfaces are concreted over. Rainwater will no longer be able to leech into the soil and will flow downhill into the affected village even faster than before. This is precisely what happened in 2021, in a massive flood in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.

Unused opportunities through photovoltaics: it is important to develop and focus on renewable energies, but a systematic destruction of a forest is in stark contrast and in an irony to such goals. Photovoltaic systems on private, municipal and commercial roofs are a more compatible alternative to wind energy, especially since there is great potential for solar energy in the region with more than 1,000 hours of sunshine per year. Before even one tree is felled in favor of wind power plants, all other possibilities should first be exhausted.

Loss of quality of life: Last but not least, the construction of several wind power plants over 250 meters high would noticeably reduce the quality of life in the affected villages. This is not so much about a "disturbed view", but more about the loss of a place of recreation, not to mention health hazards caused by noise, infrasound, shadow impact and light pollution. For many, nature in the Bliesgau Biosphere is an important reason for living in rural areas. If this is removed, commuters in particular will no longer be able to stay in the villages - which is a great disadvantage for the future prospects of the area.

Bliesmenger-Gegenwind e. V. provides information about the further effects of the wind power plans in the township of Mandelbachtal on its homepage, on Facebook and on Instagram.