arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

The protest started June 30th to stop construction of hotels and bungalows for 3600 guests by themepark the Efteling in an ecologically forest of over 100 years (this is very old for Dutch scales) in parts, with various rare species including badgers. The themepark and forest are located between Den Bosh and Tilburg near the town of Kaatsheuvel, in the mid-south of the Netherlands.

Things are going pretty well after the weather cleared up last week. Last Sunday was the first open day, where over 100 locals and sympathisers came by. There's a lot of anger with the local people who are fed up with themepark the Efteling always pushing their plans, this time sacrificing a forest. Various visitors have learnt to climb and local kids started to build a ninth treehut.

Earlier, the mayor and councillors decided to lay their hands off, since the ents and pixies are on privately owned (but publicly acessible land). They have however supened the Efteling into stopping wild camping on their land. The Efteling will have to sue the activists (but who are they?) to get them out and follow the mayor's instructions. An illegal eviction is highly unlikely because the Efteling, a fairytale theme park, runs on it's image.
'New right', Nazi's and Pim Fortune fans, have been posing continueing threats but mostly online, as they seem to be afraid of heights... They see the Efteling as an essantial part of our nation heretage (of escapism from the grizmal concrete horror that is consuming holland).

July 20th will be a next open day, this time full of fairy theater. Of course you are welcome to come any time and help out the Ents.
Check http://www.entenwoud.nl for details (also to fetch a downloadable flyer)