Poland’s threatened wildlife saved by landmark decision reprieves

26/10/2009 16:04:14 Still more work to be done
October 2009. The decision by the Polish government to proceed with an alternative route for the Via Baltica expressway- an international road corridor in north-east Poland - has given a reprieve to some of Europe's finest wildlife sites, says a coalition of conservation groups. The road - part of a route linking Helsinki to Warsaw - is part of the EU's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

The sites spared by the decision include locations important for a range of threatened species, including lynx, wolf and beaver; and threatened bird species such as aquatic warbler and greater spotted eagle, which have their most important concentrations in the EU in north-east Poland. The sites, known as Natura 2000 sites, are all protected under European environmental laws including the EC's Birds and Habitats directives.

Campaigners from CEE Bankwatch Network, BirdLife International, the RSPB and OTOP (the RSPB's partner in Poland) have said the decision by the Polish Council of Ministers is a major victory that represents a significant step towards the proper implementation of Polish and European environmental laws.

Campaign continues
However, the groups say that the new decree does not mark the end of their campaign to save Polish sites of European importance from suffering damage from other road construction plans in the region.

One of Europe's largest populations of Lynx would have been threatened by this route. Credit P & I Talalaj

According to this decree, the Polish part of the Via Baltica expressway will be constructed in line with the recommendations of experts and the findings of a Strategic Environmental Assessment, demanded by the European Parliament, the Bern Convention and environmental groups. This has taken several years to complete.

Inter-continental lorry route
This environmentally-sound routing of the road via Lomza, confirmed now by the government, is also valid on economic, traffic and social grounds. The decision means that the expected stream of intra-Continental lorries will go via Lomza, thus avoiding negative impacts on three Natura 2000 sites: the Biebrza Marshes, and the Knyszyn and Augustow Primeval Forests. However, it does not bring an automatic halt to current road construction work inside the Knyszyn Forest or other environmentally harmful road-development plans in north-east Poland.

Dr Helen Byron, a senior RSPB international site casework officer, said: "This is great news! After seven years of campaigning, the Polish ministers approved a new route for the Via Baltica corridor that will avoid the threatened sites of international importance.

"Sadly, this doesn't mean our work is over entirely - we still need to protect sites along the 'old' Via Baltica route and ensure that construction on the new route goes ahead so that this isn't just a paper victory. But this is an absolutely fantastic step forward ensuring a brighter future for the wildlife of this naturally diverse region."