Responsible Neighborhood

As much as 80% of the A2 concession section between Nowy Tomyśl and Świecko runs through forested areas. Close to nature and surrounding trees, the trip on our motorway is picturesque and the landscape captivating. Such an exceptional neighborhood obliges to take special care for nature and ensure high-class road infrastructure allowing for peaceful existence of the surrounding flora and fauna.

Environmental protection and natural compensation have been of utmost importance to us since the beginning of the motorway construction. Well-designed infrastructure with adequate protective measures can provide safe living and growth conditions for animals. Black stork, long-eared owl, white-tailed eagle, bee-eater, great crested newt, common noctule – these and other unusual animal species can be found near Autostrada Wielkopolska. These are animals that live around the motorway and in many cases eagerly take advantage of the infrastructure created specifically for them.

Due to the project size and capital expenditure, the construction of the A2 freeway section between Świecko and Nowy Tomyśl counts among the largest environmental projects in Europe, which is exemplary in terms of respect for the highest environmental standards, according to the European Investment Bank experts.

Environmental protection and nature compensation issues were key already at the stage of design and construction of Autostrada Wielkopolska, mainly the Nowy Tomyśl-Świecko section crossing forested areas in 80% of its length. Infrastructure solutions tailored to the needs of the animals in the area, such as culverts for small animals and amphibians, were created in cooperation with environmental specialists. Their location was indicated by the co-operating scientists who monitor, among other things, the population of great crested newts,” explains Sebastian Joachimiak, the member of the Management Board of Autostrada Wielkopolska.

Apart from great crested newts, other animal species can be found near the motorway. The area is also home to the white-tailed eagle or the rare, stately black stork, which resides near clean and abundant water reservoirs. You can also observe the long-eared owl, which does not live in hollows, but in nests often taken over from other species, and many species of bats that use the infrastructure of Autostrada Wielkopolska. Protective screens have been erected for the latter, forcing flight elevation and thus ensuring safe flight over the motorway for bat species that choose this route.
The Nietoperek reserve, the most important bat wintering site in Poland and one of the most important in Central Europe, is located in the Lubuskie Province, in the vicinity of Autostrada Wielkopolska. About 38,000 individual bats of 12 species winter there.

The location of the motorway near the reserve requires monitoring of the motorway impact on bats, their behavior and adaptation to the changed environment, and the effectiveness of the protective measures applied. To protect bats from collisions in places where their feeding grounds are crossed by the motorway, screens were used to force these mammals to raise their flight level. Most bats, somewhat surprisingly, also use the lower crossings under the motorway earmarked for large mammals, and the crossings combined with local roads also used by humans for local traffic. Common pipistrelli and large mouse-eared bats can be found under facilities. Road facilities are often used as daytime hiding places. Bats have even formed breeding colonies in structural elements of a few such places,” stresses Dr. Jan Cichocki of the Institute of Biological Sciences at the University of Zielona Góra.

White-tailed eagles, also known as sea eagles, can be spotted in the area of Autostrada Wielkopolska. They mainly inhabit areas near water reservoirs, as they mainly feed on fish and waterfowl.

The monitoring performed by us, including the chemical condition of water, the condition of surface water and groundwater, water and wastewater management and air purity, allows for ongoing analysis of the environmental situation. The presence of rare species, such as the black stork and the white-tailed eagle, proves the high biodiversity of the area, showing that our pro-environmental efforts are effective. We know about at least two black stork nests. The foraging birds are seen near the marshes in Torzym in Lubuskie Province, says Sebastian Joachimiak.

Bee-eaters, arriving in Poland for a short period of time from May to the end of August, also come near Autostrada Wielkopolska, and interestingly, they are spotted in ever farther areas of Poland. Bee-eaters are birds that have taken advantage of a warming climate, and human activity. They used to be found in the southeastern parts of Poland, but today are observed in the western part of the country, including near Autostrada Wielkopolska.

Since these birds do not build nests, and instead dig long burrows, up to 2 meters, in embankments, cliffs and gravel pits, they are increasingly settling near developing road infrastructure. It is a rare, but unforgettable sight, as the bee-eater is the most colorful species of bird found in Poland, according to Prof. Piotr Tryjanowski, director of the Institute of Zoology at Poznań University of Life Sciences.

There are 45 crossings for large animals over the motorway between Świecko and Konin. They were located also based on the environmental analysis that identified animal migration routes. As a result that natural migration routes are not disrupted and animals can cross safely to the other side, away from speeding vehicles. Each crossing over the motorway is equipped with more than 2-meter-anti flash barriers connected to a guiding fence. In addition, conditions as close to natural as possible were created, the designed undergrowth including natural and environment friendly plants, trees and shrubs. Regular monitoring at these sites shows that the animals have accepted the crossings and frequently visit them.

A motorway is much more than just a road strip leading from point A to point B. It’s a multi-level, complex organism, forming a kind of ecosystem whose elements must fit together perfectly. This applies to both the infrastructure and to the surroundings of the motorway. Because the environment matters,” Sebastian Joachimiak concludes.