The fire Burger Nabu-Chairman Friedhelm Schmitz-Jersch about Tesla's ambitious time plans and the nature conservation aspects of the approval.

hundreds of thousands of the Tesla pine trees in green Heath-conveyors photo: imago images / Jürgen Ritter

taz: Mr. Schmitz will need to soft-Jersch, as Elon Musk with green Heath announced the planned location of his fourth factory, they were surprised at the Nabu since or had you suspected anything?

Friedhelm Schmitz-Jersch: no, like all the others, we knew in advance nothing at all. In fact, this is all still a Black Box for us – we don't know what the surface is, much more but also. But the state government has promised to quickly remedy.

Tesla is supposed to begin in the first quarter of 2020 with the construction of the factory, is it. This is a bold target, the company talks to the secret pre-with the state government come. A brief time plan is realistic?

you will now need to see everything. It will be crucial, among other things, what are the preliminary investigations for the site. A development plan was drawn up already in 2001. Up to now, but neither we nor other associations known in which intensity of the already nature - and species protection investigations have taken place. The procedure is an important basis for the further approval.

These studies must complete the Investor self.

Right, for the statutory environmental impact assessment is the so-called project promoters responsible, in this case, so the company Tesla.

72, has seven years of honorary Chairman of the Brandenburg land Association of the Nature protection League (Nabu).

as soon As Tesla has submitted the report, you can take the Public position. Also, the Nabu, and other conservation organizations are allowed to raise objections. How extensively you want to use this Instrument?

You have to see how far to move on each other can. What is clear is that affected units of nature and species, we must exclude as far as possible, or at least minimize it. Then it also depends on the offset, so if we can get elsewhere, to a substantial appreciation of nature and the landscape. Onbahis

Say: afforestation.

It is not simply about reforestation, you can not merely quantitative. You must find suitable areas and also those which are used today for agricultural purposes, can have significant natural value. In any case, surfaces must be used, the nature conservation possess professionally considered high value Grasslands, for example. Priority should therefore be carried out at the forest of balancing quality enhancement measures for the existing forest and nature according to the will made.

it was Like the middle of November, a surprise announcement, intends to invest in the US electric car manufacturer Tesla up to € 4 billion in a "Gigafactory" in grünheide (district of Oder-Spree). In a first stage, according to the Brandenburg state government, over 3,000 jobs are to be created, according to a Development of up to 8,000. The Start of the construction works close to the A-10 is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020.

About 240 hectares of forest could be cut down Tesla for the construction, according to the Brandenburg government, the company wants to triple the amount of afforestation. According to Bild am Sonntag , the company can expect from Elon Musk, with the help of EU subsidies of around 300 million euros. The factory is expected to go operational in 2021, and the future Compact SUV "Model Y" as well as the batteries build.

Pine monocultures to mixed forest?

That would be the classic example. The Problem is that pine trees are normally like in the first place however, if the forest is ready to harvest, so around 80 years old, otherwise, it means an economic loss. If forest conversion is accelerated here, it costs then more. Another option would be to riparian forests to rivers to expand. Basically, you have to see how big is the circle for balance is drawn measures: the goal is always to remain there, where the nature of loss, but with such a large surface and the corresponding compensation required, it may be that you will find in the vicinity of no sufficient opportunities.

There is talk of protected species on the site was, what do you know about that?

I can neither confirm nor exclude. Even our Nabu friends on the ground have at the Moment no detailed knowledge of this particular area. This lack of Knowledge should now be worked up with the support of the administration as quickly as possible.

does it for you as a nature conservation organisation actually make a difference, that the forest is sacrificed for the development of electric mobility? Because this is more or less in the sense of climate protection?

of Course, plays a certain role. We are also Brandenburger and see that the people connect big hopes with this investment. We are of good will, in the process to contribute constructively, and we expect this good will, of course, the country's authorities and the Investor.

But again back to the beginning: does it bother you a bit that the project was pulled suddenly, out of the box and now everything is supposed to go fast?

You also have to take the realities. Otherwise, it was not possible to draw the investment to Brandenburg, that's why we don't want to criticize this approach in principle. Especially not now, when, very quickly, ensuring that there is a reasonable approval process, and all at a table on the modalities talk.