NMF had a meeting with Bergen municipality regarding deer collisions and other things

Today, 20/3-2019, the Norwegian Environmental Protection Association had a pleasant and constructive meeting with Bergen municipality at the City Council and other agencies, where we raised the matter of deer moving over the road at Flesland airport. This stretch of road has been particularly exposed to collisions, which is a significant and ongoing problem both in terms of safety for car drivers and for animal welfare.

Furthermore, the municipality will also look at adjacent areas on both sides of the road to make the best possible arrangements for the deer and game corridors, especially with regard to buildings and also fencing at Avinor and the Norwegian Armed Forces, where the municipality has signaled that they will take the initiative for a collaboration between the agencies.

We also discussed the need to take deer and other species into account and the need for sufficient and well-functioning game corridors elsewhere in the municipality.

Another but similar issue that was discussed was in relation to small game and dense fences in the form of long stretches of dense median dividers being built in the roads. This is problematic for small game that cross the road where they can cause traffic problems or collisions. The solution will be to create openings in dense median dividers in traffic with passages for small game, ducks with young, etc.

With regard to the deer migration at Flesland, Bergen municipality will take the initiative to cooperate with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and Avinor in relation, and also with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration in relation to facilitating small game by opening up median dividers, as well as including this as guidelines for new projects.

Bergen municipality also aired the issue surrounding the importance of insects for the ecosystem and shows innovative thinking to improve conditions and at the same time signaled the need for consideration of small insects to be included in the planning.

The Norwegian Environmental Protection Association also raised the issue of a mass landfill in Hausdal, and has announced that we will follow this matter up further.

Bergen municipality showed a good understanding of the issues and at the same time signaled that they want to find positive solutions in their further work.

Link BT article: Help the deer forward