Nyligen gick EU-kommissionens ordförande Ursula von der Leyen ut med att EU potentiellt ska försvaga vargens skyddsstatus. Detta kan ge allvarliga konsekvenser för vargen som art i Europa och särskilt påverka vår isolerade och sårbara vargstam här i Norden.
Gör din röst hörd!
EU-kommissionen uppmanar nu människor i Europa att skicka in information om vargens påverkan där de befinner sig till en särskild email-adress hos kommissionen. Vi uppmuntrar så klart alla som bryr sig om Sveriges natur och vilda djur att skriva och föra vargens talan. Vi har därför förberett ett brev som du kan enkelt kan använda dig av.
VIKTIGT! EU-kommissionen har nyligen bestämt att identiska brev inte kommer att accepteras. Därför måste du skriva delar av brevet med egna ord. Du kan fortfarande använda vår mall eller kopiera delar av den, men måste alltså också lägga till din personliga text.
SÅ GÖR DU: Kopiera hela eller delar av brevmallen nedanför, klistra in i ett mail, skriv några meningar/stycken i dina egna ord (gärna i början av brevet samt genomgående om möjligt) och lägg till ditt namn och var du bor efter ”best regards”. Skicka till adressen: [email protected] senast den 22:a september.
Vi måste tillsammans visa att det finns ett starkt stöd för vargarna i Europa och särskilt i Sverige. För vargarnas, ekosystemens och en hållbar framtids skull. Du behövs! Tack för ditt stöd.
Brev till EU-kommissionen
Dear Commission,
The situation for the small, isolated, and highly inbred Swedish wolf population is more critical than ever. To introduce a more flexible legal framework regarding the protection of the wolf in Europe would be devastating and counterproductive for both the environment and the economy.
The political situation in Sweden and the high occurrence of illegal hunting threaten the population, which has declined since last year’s inventory. There were only around 300 wolves in the spring after extensive hunting last winter. The number of wolves is now very likely below favorable conservation status.
It should be noted that Sweden is not taking any actions whatsoever to try to coexist with wolves. The wolf population is now, due to a strategic decision from the authorities, moving further south in Sweden. This is creating issues for local farmers, since they have limited experience with large carnivores and how to defend their livestock.
Instead of helping the farmers with proactive measures like fencing, the politicians are promoting culling. A clear indication of this is that Sweden has not applied for EU funding related to protection for the farmers, for the period 2023-2027. The minister for rural affairs Peter Kullgren instead argues that extensive wolf hunting is the solution. Most likely strongly supported by the local hunting organizations who oppose the idea of coexistence and therefore are against protective and proactive initiatives.
Instead of hunting wolves in Sweden and Europe, we need to address the positive effects of wolves. For example:
- Controlling the populations of prey and creating a so called ”landscape of fear”, reducing traffic accidents and damages to forests and farms: https://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2021/06/07/raynors-study-suggests-wolves-help-decrease-vehicle-collisions-with-deer/
- Reducing the risk of African swine fever. Sweden now has a large outbreak of (ASF) in an area where wolves were killed last winter. Wolves that could have helped prevent the disease: https://wilderness-society.org/wolfpacks-manage-disease-outbreaks/
- Reducing infectious pressure and stop the spreading of other diseases, for example chronic wasting disease: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/science/wolves-chronic-wasting-disease.html
- Exploring possibilities for eco tourism: https://www.umt.edu/news/2023/01/011923yell.php
- Helping the environment by reducing CO2: https://rewilding.org/animating-the-carbon-cycle-earths-animals-are-vital-allies-in-the-storage-of-co2/
The European commission needs to continue supporting the wolf and request that the member states make all possible efforts to coexist with the wolf. Viable wolf populations are of great importance both to nature and humans in Sweden and Europe as a whole.
Best Regards
Mer information
Om projektet: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_4330
SRF kritiserar EU-kommissionens utspel om varg: https://rovdjur.se/srf-kritiserar-eu-varg/
MAILA SENAST 22:A SEPTEMBER: [email protected]
Tack för att du är med.
