Heckberger Wald wind energy plans face opposition

Plans by the municipality of Engelskirchen to designate the Heckberger Wald as a wind energy area are facing increasing opposition. Beyond existing concerns regarding nature and species protection, new challenges regarding aviation safety have emerged due to the area's proximity to a flight path for Cologne/Bonn Airport. Potential interference with radio communications and landing systems may require involvement from the German Air Traffic Control (Deutsche Flugsicherung) and the Federal Aviation Office (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt).

The association ‘Bergische Bürger für Naturschutz e. V.’ is campaigning to preserve the forest, which contains protected species such as the black stork, honey buzzard, and woodlark. An environmental expert report commissioned by the group suggests the area is unsuitable for wind turbines due to risks of bird strikes, soil sealing, and forest fires. The association is considering initiating a process to have the Heckberger Wald recognized as a bird protection area under EU law, citing its high ecological importance as the largest contiguous forest area in the Oberbergischer Kreis.