Despite a call from the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug not to come to Leersum, it is busy there after the heavy weather on Friday. Staatsbosbeheer fences off the forest area near Leersum with crush barriers.
The storm led to severe damage in Leersum and the surrounding forest area. At least six houses have been declared uninhabitable and thousands of trees have been destroyed. According to Staatsbosbeheer, an area about three by five kilometers has been hit particularly hard. “In some places, entire forest plots are flat.”
The area was immediately closed to the public, but people are still coming, reports RTV Utrecht. “People still come to the area for a walk or a bike ride,” says a spokesperson for Staatsbosbeheer. “The red and white ribbons are not just hanging there, but they are apparently not enough.”
‘The time of warning is over’
Crowd barriers have therefore been installed at approximately forty entrances and exits, so that access is no longer possible. “Furthermore, signs with no access will be hung on the fences. Fines can be handed out on the basis of those signs.” According to the spokesperson, the first fines have already been issued. “The time of warning is now really over.”
According to Staatsbosbeheer, the situation in the forests is now life-threatening. “There are many branches and treetops hanging loose and many trees are unstable,” says the spokesperson. “We don’t close the areas to bully people, it’s really dangerous now.”
According to the spokesperson, the closures will be lifted as soon as the forest plots are made safe again. “The focus is now on securing the main routes, but some parts have suffered so much damage that it could be months before they can reopen.”
–
