Entry
Europe’s New Environmental Battleground
Apr 4th, 2007 17:28
Harish Kohli, http://www.awimaway.com
Saving Rospuda Valley
A pristine valley in north-east Poland, is crammed with spectacular
wildlife.. It is called the Rospuda valley, that has eagles, wolves
and orchids. Species which have long been rare or extinct in western
European countries, such as lynx, elk, wolf and beaver, along with
scores of uncommon bird species, from eagles to corn crakes, still
have substantial populations in the 10 central and eastern European
nations which have recently joined the EU. But the pressure of
economic growth is so strong that they are now planning to run
motorway right through it, and leading up to the Baltic States.
The Raspuda valley combines the vast extent of ancient forests, some
of which are still primeval – meaning they have never been cut down
and replanted – and the wetlands. The Rospuda river flows through the
ancient Augustow Forest near Poland’s border with Lithuania, one of
the most pristine forest regions in all of Europe; and the river’s
course is bracketed by a peat bog which is astonishingly rich in
mammals, rare birds, plants and insects. The protected species of
bird’s range from the white-tailed, short-toed and lesser-spotted
eagles, through the black grouse and the capercaillie, to the
corncake, the crane and the great snipe.
The Raspuda is any bird-watchers dream land but in environmental
terms, the valley is a jewel. Yet it sits squarely astride the route
for one of Europe’s most ambitious road schemes, the so-called Via
Baltica expressway that will one day cut through the valley’s heart.
The Rospuda valley is characterized by the undisturbed landscape
conditions and vegetation. The sedge-moss communities, covering over
100 ha are the most valuable habitat of the Rospuda valley. They have
permanent high water levels and in most part are free of encroaching
willow or birch shrubs.
Most of the Rospuda valley plant communities belong to the mesotrophic
small sedge-brown moss vegetation. In addition, small patches of other
plant communities are scattered in different parts of the valley.
These are for instance: raised bog patches, springs and oak-linden-
hornbeam forests growing here and there on mineral islands on the mire
and on the slopes of the valley.
The ecological value of Rospuda valley is one of the most valuable
mire complexes in Poland. The most precious qualities of the Rospuda
valley are the vastness of the valley and the totally undisturbed
water relations. Its hydrological system bearing no signs of human-
made disruption guarantees the stable existence of unique habitats
together with the plants and animals relying on them.
The rarest and most valuable species of vascular plants in the valley
are: Musk Orchid, Fen Orchid, Lady's Slipper Orchid, and also Dwarf
Birch, Jacob's Ladder, Adder's Mouth Orchid, Slender Cotton-grass,
Cotton Deergrass. The great part of species mentioned above occur in a
large number in the Rospuda valley and it is the only site in Poland,
where Musk Orchid occurs.
When Poland acceded to EU, it was obliges under the EU law to declare
some of its best wildlife sites as protected areas. Rospuda valley is
one of these, part of the Augustow primeval forest special protection
area, which means that if a development is likely to harm a protected
site, alternatives have to be explored.
Visitors to the valley have seen the black woodpecker, a spectacular
re-crested bird and a wild boar. The locals are trying to protect
their pristine valley against the strong-willed politicians who have
their ambitions on growing economy. But the to put a road through
Raspuda would be a wilful destruction of some of Europe’s most
wonderful wildlife sites.
The UK-based operator AwimAway (020 7430 1766, www.awimaway.com) is
urging people to get involved and save the environment. It also takes
interested people on holidays to the region for them to see it for
themselves why it is important to save the Rospuda valley.
Harish Kohli
http://www.awimaway.com
