Dear Madam,
Dear Sir,
As a group of worldwide concerned individuals and bird-lovers we are dismayed to hear from Norwegian ornithologists
that plans to infill and industrially develop the breakwater at the mouth of the River Verdalselva have still not been abandoned
by the local authorities.
It is not common for human intervention to have a positive effect on the environment; and the increased bio-diverse
importance of the location since the 1960s is a welcome development. Its designation as a Ramsar site, of international importance
for waterfowl, is not only a matter of national pride; but of international responsibility. It is therefore all the more important
that the established wetland habitat of the Verdalselva Delta at Ørin, artificially enhanced through land reclamation, is
not disturbed or otherwise harmed by industrial development.
We know that the responsible ministries and local environmental organisations have made their positions clear and that
an environmental impact assessment has still not yet been initiated by Verdal Kommune. We have also heard that although the
extent of industrial development in the North Ørin area as a whole is to be reduced, plans to infill the breakwater, with
drastic effects for wildlife, have still not been finally shelved.
In our own human interest, situations where natural resources are unsustainably exploited can no longer be uncritically
tolerated. Matters of local environmental concern are increasingly, and rightly,
of broader international interest. The variance between the perceived short term interests of our industrialised
world, and the sustainable long term use of our shrinking planetary natural resources, now unites conservationists, nature
lovers and ordinary citizens across the globe.
In this spirit we urge you as the responsible governmental ministers and opinion-formers in Norway, as well as all individuals interested in the conservation
of nature in your country, to listen to environmental advice and not sacrifice the natural heritage of present and subsequent
generations of Norwegian citizens for questionable short term economic advantages.
In the hope that our appeal will have a beneficial effect for the resident
and visiting wildlife of the Verdalselva Delta at Ørin, we remain,
yours faithfully,
