As of: March 27, 2024, 12:49 p.m
By: Alexandra Korimorth
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The Schliersee forestry company wants to extract up to 150,000 cubic meters of gravel annually from a gravel pit on the Silberlahner.
The path network that is to be maintained covers 44 kilometers.
© Symbolic photo
The forestry company is allowed to continue mining gravel on the Silberlahner in the Kreuth Mountains - but only for its own use.
This was the result of an intensive discussion in the local council.
Kreuth
– For many years, the Kreuth am Silberlahner Forestry Office in the Kreuth Mountains has taken gravel from its gravel pits.
Due to the loss of privilege as a result of the conversion of the forestry offices into state forestry companies, the continuation of the gravel pit now requires approval from the district office and community consent.
But the Kreuth local council did not want to approve the mining of 150,000 cubic meters of gravel without conditions.
The committee primarily took issue with the wording “dismantling for personal use”.
The Schliersee forestry operation extends from the foothills of the Alps almost to Wasserburg, noted Christian Bock and Elisabeth Hartwig (both CSU).
Suspicion of degradation
Despite the assurance from Mayor Josef Bierschneider (CSU) that no commercial use of the gravel pit was planned, some local councilors remained suspicious, particularly about the amount of mining.
Robert Gerg (SPD) dumped these in truckloads and was surprised that the authorities did not consider it necessary to refill the gravel pit.
Markus Wrba (FWG) also criticized the lack of renaturation plans and suggested “refusing agreement as a mountaineering village.” Christian Weber (Greens) rejected it categorically: “I see no privilege and therefore no reason for approval.” Gravel mining would only bring disadvantages – for the mountain forest and the animals.
On top of that, he feared that the area around the gravel pit could erode: “At some point the trees will come down.”
Worry about heavy traffic
The biggest problem the local councilors had, however, was the traffic on the heavily used hiking and cycling paths.
“There is heavy goods traffic on designated hiking trails,” feared Wrba.
He suggested limiting mining to the cold season.
Peter Stiepan (CSU) wanted to see traffic restricted on Saturdays.
His parliamentary group colleague Max Breunig (CSU) on Saturdays and Sundays and on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 7 a.m.
It was only when Leonhard Rohnbogner (CSU) objected that the state forests had developed the gravel pit up there so that Kreuth would not be burdened so much that the dynamic discussion stopped.
Rohnbogner recalled the times when gravel was transported from Sylvenstein over the Schwarzentennalm and the truck drivers were “almost lynched” by recreational athletes for this.
A lot of gravel needed for the maintenance of the path network
The Schliersee forestry company maintains many smaller gravel pits from which the surrounding paths are repaired.
The network of paths around the Schwarzentennalm, which is used by 200 to 300 timber trucks per year, is around 44 kilometers.
These are regularly strengthened with gravel from the pit on the Silberlahner, from which hikers and mountain bikers also benefit.
If gravel pit mining on the Silberlahner were to be restricted, the same would have to be done in Glashütte, Rohnbogner pointed out.
In the quarry there, the removal is limited to 35 loads per day, but in practice this is no longer used due to the residents' protests (we reported).
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Ulrike Rohnbogner (CSU) also asked to “leave the church in the village” and not to let the gravel come from “God knows where”.
“So far we have had good cooperation with the Schliersee forestry company,” she stated, reminding us that the 44-kilometer network of paths is still the state forests’ own paths and roads.
She advocated a regulation of times and quantities, “but please in such a way that work is still possible”.
An hourly regulation is not practical, especially since the continuous time in which the paths are improved is only two to three weeks a year anyway.
If these didn't fall during the main holiday season, the community would have been helped.
Dismantling for personal use only
Ultimately, as a compromise from the discussion, Mayor Bierschneider proposed that the mining be stipulated only for the Bavarian State Forestry's own needs and only for the areas that are accessible through Schwarzentenn-Straße - but without a time limit.
With the exception of Green councilors Christian Weber and Matthias Erhardt, the local councilors agreed with this solution.