The Fairytale Forest by Pentagon

When I sit by my desk in Kringla, and stress about University and life, I look out my window at a peaceful sight; Vollskogen Forest. It is a magical place. In some areas, the trees stand together in clusters, as far as the eye can see. In other places, it opens up and the wetlands spreads out into moss covered rocks and trees. Walking in Vollskogen is like taken straight from the Norwegian folklore, and where you expect to see Nøkken in the swamp, calcified trolls, or Huldra dancing barefoot between the spruces. What fairy tales don’t include is destruction of forests and nature to build houses. This is what Vollskogen is up against now.

Translated by Astrid Kisen.

In Vollskogen they have planned to build 200 properties, for families with children and first-time buyers. But the plans don’t mention how the 200 new inhabitants will be affected by living beside a student village, or how the students will be affected by the construction work? The construction work will come with increased traffic on the road down to Pentagon. That could potentially decrease the safety of the students daily walk to university, as 500-700 new cars a day will use this as the main road to their houses. Not only will increased traffic and decreased road safety be a reality, but unknown environmental consequences can come from a construction in Vollskogen.

Vollskogen is seemingly a ditched swamp forest. For a swamp forest, you imagine Shrek’s neighbourhood; a forest filled with trees, high ground water levels and damp moss covered ground. Underground you find something maybe even more interesting; potential carbon storage. Through decades, the swamp forest could have consumed and stored carbon like a sponge. Now there could potentially be large amounts of carbon stored in the ground under Vollskogen. If they then start digging up the trees, or in other ways turn the soil, they risk releasing unknown amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. To clarify, this is unknown amounts of carbon, but what’s for sure is that it will affect the living conditions at Pentagon.

The students’ living conditions are enriched by the nature just outside their doorstep. This nature gives us the opportunity to take a break in the forest and escape the struggles of student life for a while. These moments of relaxation, is something myself and other students greatly appreciate. The outdoor facilities in Vollskogen should rather be improved, instead of made into a housing estate! I think Vollskogen should be a place people in Ås can come together, both hikers, people who enjoy the outdoors, families on a Sunday walk, and different student societies and organisations who want social events in nature.

In order to stop the construction plans, we have made a petition! Join the link below if you want to join the movement against car focused, conflict-enabling and environment hostile construction destruction of Vollskogen. Say yes to Vollskogen being a green and beating heart for young and old, for outdoor enthusiasts, and Sunday walkers, for students and everyone else in Ås Municipality.

Link to the petition: https://www.opprop.net/opprop_mot_utbyggingsplanene_i_vollskogen

Kim André Nielsen, 
Resident of Pentagon Student Village
Member of Vollskogen Working Group.