Rospuda River
Encyclopedia
The Rospuda is a small river in north-eastern Poland. It flows through the Suwałki Region of Poland, including the north-western part of the large Augustów Primeval Forest
wilderness area. Its continuation, the Netta
, is a tributary
of the Biebrza
. Around 2006 the river was threatened by planned construction of the Augustów
bypass
expressway
, which was to cut across the protected wilderness area in the valley. After an intense campaign of protests in Poland and abroad and also counter-protests of the local community, the plans have been changed, and now the highway has been rerouted to completely avoid the wilderness area .
Its usually quoted source is a combination of several streams, which rise on slopes of hills (Przejmowa Góra – 213.4m, Jastrzębia Góra – 230.8m, Słupowa Góra – 247.9 m, Lisia Góra – 259.5 m) southward of an old forest, Puszcza Romincka located southeast of Gołdap. The river proper rises from a lake called Jezioro Czarne and flows in a south and south-eastern direction through a series of nine postglacial lakes: Rospuda Filipowska, Kamienne, Długie, Garbas, Głębokie, Sumowo, Okrągłe, Bolesty, and The Rospuda Augustowska into which it finally empties.
The Rospuda flows through typical young glacial landforms: postglacial channel lakes, eskers (long, narrow, winding ridges composed of stratified sand and gravel), and flat outwash plains. This landscape results from Scandinavian ice sheet
activity during the Baltic glaciation: the postglacial channel in which the Rospuda flows was dug by a stream flowing underneath the ice sheet; eskers were composed of material accumulated by flowing water, and the outwash is a vast alluvial cone of sand and gravel deposited by a subglacial meltwater stream.
In the upper reaches of the river, in the stretches between lakes, the Rospuda has a narrow winding channel of a rocky bed with rapids, for which it slightly resembles a mountain stream. The Rospuda flows through forests and meadows, within a narrow steep-sided valley with numerous bends, gorges, and felled trees. Narrow postglacial channel lakes flow for miles: Rospuda Filipowska and Bolesty, the longest two, are 3.6 mi long (5.8 km) and only 0.25 – 0.5 mi wide (0.4 – 0.8 km). Their banks are high and forested or covered in meadows and cut across with ravines. These interesting landforms are attributable to erosion, the outcome of flowing rainwaters.
In the lower reaches of the river, where it enters Augustów Primeval Forest
, the Rospuda changes into a typically lowland river. It meanders through reeds within a boggy riparian valley, passing Święte Miejsce and Młyńsko, sacred sites in the region. The channel of the river gets wider forming a basin of peat bog, i.e. the Rospuda Valley (Pol. Dolina Rospudy).
The Rospuda is a 41.5 mi long (67 km) canoe trail, rarely frequented, a picturesque one, though troublesome at times. Sudden bends, rocky shallows, rocks and stilts driven in the bed of the river, or felled trees require attention, reflex, and experience in dealing with such obstacles. In the lower reaches of the river, on the other hand, monotonous landscape can prove tiresome since the Rospuda winds through reeds blocking out the views. Still, there are convenient spots to set up camp along the whole trail.
is mentioned by the Erection Act of The Raczki Church from 1599. Other names included Rowspuda, Filipówka (near the village Filipów) and Kamienna.
According to Professor Knut Olaf Falk, the name Dowspuda was rooted in the word Dau-spūda, which, in the extinct western Baltic language- Jatvingian, meant "to push" or "heavy pressure" and stems from the fact that, in the springtime, the river raises its level for about one meter, which results in pumping water back to its tributaries and changing its flow. This phenomenon may be observed on the Jałówka River joining the Rospuda River with Jałowo Lake or on the Klonownica River joining the Rospuda Augustowska Lake and Necko Lake with Białe Lake .
The terrains the Rospuda River bypasses used to be the part of the lands known as Jaćwież. The sacred cult spot known as Uroczysko Święte Miejsce is a reminiscence of the pagan times. Since the fifteenth century the Rospuda River has constituted the board between Lithuania
and Prussian lands.
Picturesque ruins of the neo-Gothic Pac
Palace still stand on the high river banks in Dowspuda village, located to the south of Raczki. In 1824, Ludwik Michał Pac, the owner of the palace, ordered twelve stone stairs built on the three-kilometer-long segment of the river between Raczki, Dowspuda and below to beautify the area with waterfalls. However, the dams as well as the palace, were later dismantled. Stone shallows are the only remnants. In July 1972, one of the scenes from TV serial Czarne Chmury was shot on the edge of the glade with the view on the river valley in the downstream of the Rospuda River near Szczebra village.
Rospuda Valley is under protection because of its rare animals and plants. For example, there are 19 kinds of Orchidaceae (all of which are under strict protection), including Musk Orchid
(Herminium monorchis), and white variety of Early Marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis). The former has been recorded in Polish Red Data Book of Plants, and Rospuda Valley is its only Polish locality. The latter exists in a few more places in Poland.
Other orchids that are to be found in Rospuda Valley include: the Western marsh orchid
(Dactylorhiza majalis), Lady's Slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus
), Early Coralroot (Corallorrhiza trifida), the Common spotted orchid
(Dactylorhiza fuchsii), or Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteineri), Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris), Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii). In Rospuda Valley there are also other rare and protected plants including: Dwarf Birch
(Betula humilis), Greek valerian (Polemonium caeruleum), English sundew (Drosera anglica), Round-Leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia
), Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon
) etc.
The Rospuda Valley and its adjacent forests are inhabited by the following protected birds: Hazel Grouse
(Bonasa bonasia), the Capercaillie
(Tetrao urogallus), Spotted Crake
(Porzana porzana), the Corn Crake
(Crex crex), the Common Crane
(Grus grus), the White-tailed Eagle
(Haliaeetus albicilla), Lesser Spotted Eagle
(Aquila pomarina), Marsh harrier
, the Honey Buzzard
(Pernis apivorus), the Tengmalm's Owl
(Aegolius funereus), the White Stork
(Ciconia ciconia), the Black Woodpecker
, the White-backed Woodpecker
(Dendrocopos leucotos), the Red-backed Shrike
(Lanius collurio), the Barred Warbler
(Sylvia nisoria) and other. The area serves as a haunt for birds nesting nearby, e.g. in Augustów Primeval Forest
.
For big mammals, like wolves or deer
, the Rospuda Valley serves as a migratory corridor, through which they move west from Augustów Primeval Forest
and Biebrza National Park
. Moreover, the Valley is also inhabited by beavers, otters, foxes and other animals.
Rospuda Valley constitutes:
A nature reserve will be created at Rospuda Valley. It will protect the musk orchid, the woodgrouse, sea eagle, and lesser spotted eagle, which nest in the area. The reserve will be a part of Augustów-Druskienniki Protected Area, which is being created with the cooperation of Poland, Lithuania
, and Belarus
.
A green ribbon is used as a symbol for the campaign against the construction of the Augustów
ring road.
Ecological activists as well as scientists such as botanists, zoologists, ecology experts, hydrologists experts on peat bog plant cover and the European Commission are of the opinion that the Rospuda Valley is endangered by the plans of construction of the Augustów ringroad.
If the project is realized, the wildlife will be damaged not only by the expressway itself, but also by the construction process. The noise and pollution inherent in construction work would harm the breeding grounds of various bird species, some of which are protected, as well as some endangered plant species Furthermore, construction of the overpass may disturb the fragile water systems in the valley.
Because the documentation of the project does not state the influence of the enterprise on the water systems and considering the inadequate plans for compensation of nature devastation, the European Commission asserts that the enterprise would hinder the avifauna, which is to be protected within the framework of Nature 2000.
Quite a different opinion on the matter is held by the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA). They claim that the way the overpass is going to be built, as well as the devices designed to discharge the water from the road to the outside of the valley will effectively minimize the damage.
The National Environment Protection Council (an advisory body of the Ministry of the Environment) speaks reprovingly of the project, indicating impossibility of any compensation for the project and erroneousness of the peat bog type evaluation as well as of the mode of supplying it with water.
opened legal infringement procedures against the Polish government for consenting to the road developments, which would severely damage important and protected natural sites. In February 2007 the governor of the local province signed the go-ahead for the construction works to start, claiming that all legal requirements had been met , despite the fact that the region is protected by the EU Natura 2000
program and Poland can be severely fined by the EU for constructing the highway. On 13 February 2007 the Polish Ombudsman
launched an appeal against the decision, with the aim of halting construction works. The appeal was based on suspicion that alternative routings of the bypass were not taken into consideration . An independent road designer's variant omits the Rospuda valley and was estimated to cost €17 million less than the currently planned environmentally damaging variant.. There have been strong protests by activists and politicians both in Poland and abroad. However, the construction has not been called off. In February 2007 a number of environmental activists pitched a camp in the endangered region to prevent the construction work. The Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza
has launched an on-line petition signed by over 140,000 people asking the Polish President Lech Kaczyński
to respect the law, preserve the Rospuda Valley and direct the Augustów
bypass via a different route. On February 22, 2007 the construction of the Augustów bypass expressway began with the taking of geodetic
measurements. There was unofficial information that earthworks are, for now, being begun only from the Augustów side, away from the protected area, and where both road variants overlap. On February 27, 2007 scaring birds away from the Rospuda valley started with permission issued by the Chief Nature Conservator, suggesting that heavy construction works in the valley will soon begin, as the Polish public television TVP
reported .
In 2009 the Polish authorities announced that the plan to build the highway through Rospuda valley has been abandoned, and a new alternative route that avoids the valley has been selected.
In 2010 Malgorzata Gorska
, one of the leaders of the fight to protect the Rospuda Valley won the Goldman Environmental Prize
.
Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest is a large virgin forest complex located in Poland as well as in northern Belarus and southeastern Lithuania. The forest covers about 1,600 km², of which 1,140 km² is in Poland....
wilderness area. Its continuation, the Netta
Netta River
The Netta is a river in north-east Poland, a right tributary of the Biebrza, approximately long. It is a continuation of the Rospuda, which flows into Lake Rospuda north of the town of Augustów...
, is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Biebrza
Biebrza
Biebrza is a river in north-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Narew river , with a length of 155 kilometres and the basin area of 7,057 km2...
. Around 2006 the river was threatened by planned construction of the Augustów
Augustów
Augustów is a town in north-eastern Poland with 29,600 inhabitants . It lies on the Netta River and the Augustów Canal. It is situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , having previously been in Suwałki Voivodeship . It is the seat of Augustów County and of Gmina Augustów.In 1970 Augustów became...
bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
, which was to cut across the protected wilderness area in the valley. After an intense campaign of protests in Poland and abroad and also counter-protests of the local community, the plans have been changed, and now the highway has been rerouted to completely avoid the wilderness area .
Geography
The Rospuda flows through typical young glacial landforms: postglacial channel lakes, eskers (long, narrow, winding ridges composed of stratified sand and gravel), and flat outwash plains. This landscape results from Scandinavian ice sheet
Ice sheet
An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² , thus also known as continental glacier...
activity during the Baltic glaciation: the postglacial channel in which the Rospuda flows was dug by a stream flowing underneath the ice sheet; eskers were composed of material accumulated by flowing water, and the outwash is a vast alluvial cone of sand and gravel deposited by a subglacial meltwater stream.
In the upper reaches of the river, in the stretches between lakes, the Rospuda has a narrow winding channel of a rocky bed with rapids, for which it slightly resembles a mountain stream. The Rospuda flows through forests and meadows, within a narrow steep-sided valley with numerous bends, gorges, and felled trees. Narrow postglacial channel lakes flow for miles: Rospuda Filipowska and Bolesty, the longest two, are 3.6 mi long (5.8 km) and only 0.25 – 0.5 mi wide (0.4 – 0.8 km). Their banks are high and forested or covered in meadows and cut across with ravines. These interesting landforms are attributable to erosion, the outcome of flowing rainwaters.
In the lower reaches of the river, where it enters Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest is a large virgin forest complex located in Poland as well as in northern Belarus and southeastern Lithuania. The forest covers about 1,600 km², of which 1,140 km² is in Poland....
, the Rospuda changes into a typically lowland river. It meanders through reeds within a boggy riparian valley, passing Święte Miejsce and Młyńsko, sacred sites in the region. The channel of the river gets wider forming a basin of peat bog, i.e. the Rospuda Valley (Pol. Dolina Rospudy).
The Rospuda is a 41.5 mi long (67 km) canoe trail, rarely frequented, a picturesque one, though troublesome at times. Sudden bends, rocky shallows, rocks and stilts driven in the bed of the river, or felled trees require attention, reflex, and experience in dealing with such obstacles. In the lower reaches of the river, on the other hand, monotonous landscape can prove tiresome since the Rospuda winds through reeds blocking out the views. Still, there are convenient spots to set up camp along the whole trail.
Historical Curiosities
The Rospuda River used to be called by different names depending on its segment. The name DowspudaDowspuda
Dowspuda is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Raczki, within Suwałki County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Raczki, south-west of Suwałki, and north of the regional capital Białystok....
is mentioned by the Erection Act of The Raczki Church from 1599. Other names included Rowspuda, Filipówka (near the village Filipów) and Kamienna.
According to Professor Knut Olaf Falk, the name Dowspuda was rooted in the word Dau-spūda, which, in the extinct western Baltic language- Jatvingian, meant "to push" or "heavy pressure" and stems from the fact that, in the springtime, the river raises its level for about one meter, which results in pumping water back to its tributaries and changing its flow. This phenomenon may be observed on the Jałówka River joining the Rospuda River with Jałowo Lake or on the Klonownica River joining the Rospuda Augustowska Lake and Necko Lake with Białe Lake .
The terrains the Rospuda River bypasses used to be the part of the lands known as Jaćwież. The sacred cult spot known as Uroczysko Święte Miejsce is a reminiscence of the pagan times. Since the fifteenth century the Rospuda River has constituted the board between Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and Prussian lands.
Picturesque ruins of the neo-Gothic Pac
Pac (family)
Pac was one of the most influential noble families in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the era of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Numerous high ranking officials of the Commonwealth came from their ranks. Their coat of arms was Gozdawa....
Palace still stand on the high river banks in Dowspuda village, located to the south of Raczki. In 1824, Ludwik Michał Pac, the owner of the palace, ordered twelve stone stairs built on the three-kilometer-long segment of the river between Raczki, Dowspuda and below to beautify the area with waterfalls. However, the dams as well as the palace, were later dismantled. Stone shallows are the only remnants. In July 1972, one of the scenes from TV serial Czarne Chmury was shot on the edge of the glade with the view on the river valley in the downstream of the Rospuda River near Szczebra village.
Environmental Characteristics of Rospuda Valley
The Rospuda Valley is one of the most valuable wetland areas (blanket, raised, and temporary bogs) with natural, intact water relations. That is, the bog maintains a steady water level, and therefore does not cover with trees and shrubs. Therefore, it differs from wetlands influenced by human, e.g., Biebrza Bogs, which must be mowed to stop succession of reedbeds, scrubs, and forest.Rospuda Valley is under protection because of its rare animals and plants. For example, there are 19 kinds of Orchidaceae (all of which are under strict protection), including Musk Orchid
Musk Orchid
The musk orchid is a commonly occurring species of European orchid.-Status in Britain:Musk orchids have a localised distribution in Britain. Sites where it is found include Ham Hill in Wiltshire....
(Herminium monorchis), and white variety of Early Marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis). The former has been recorded in Polish Red Data Book of Plants, and Rospuda Valley is its only Polish locality. The latter exists in a few more places in Poland.
Western marsh orchid
The western marsh orchid is a terrestrial European orchid. Its flowering period begins at lower elevations as early as the beginning of May and ends in higher elevations at the end of July...
(Dactylorhiza majalis), Lady's Slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus
Cypripedium calceolus
Cypripedium calceolus is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus Cypripedium.It is a widespread plant worldwide, found from Europe east through Asia to the Pacific Ocean. It is found in open woodland on moist calcareous soils. It is found in continental Europe growing in the...
), Early Coralroot (Corallorrhiza trifida), the Common spotted orchid
Common spotted orchid
The Common Spotted-orchid is acommonly occurring species of European orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes...
(Dactylorhiza fuchsii), or Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteineri), Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris), Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii). In Rospuda Valley there are also other rare and protected plants including: Dwarf Birch
Dwarf Birch
Betula nana is a species of birch in the family Betulaceae, found mainly in the tundra of the Arctic region.-Description:...
(Betula humilis), Greek valerian (Polemonium caeruleum), English sundew (Drosera anglica), Round-Leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia
Drosera rotundifolia
Drosera rotundifolia is a species of sundew, a carnivorous plant often found in bogs, marshes and fens...
), Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon
Lilium martagon
Lilium martagon is a species of lily. It has a widespread native region extending from central Europe east through northern Asia to Mongolia and Korea. Several subspecies have been named. Horticulturally it is in Division 9, It is stem-rooting, growing between 1m and 2m tall...
) etc.
The Rospuda Valley and its adjacent forests are inhabited by the following protected birds: Hazel Grouse
Hazel Grouse
The Hazel Grouse or Hazel Hen is one of the smaller members of the grouse family of birds. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia and central and eastern Europe in dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodland, preferably with some spruce.The nest is on the ground, and 3–6 eggs is...
(Bonasa bonasia), the Capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
(Tetrao urogallus), Spotted Crake
Spotted Crake
The Spotted Crake is a small waterbird, of the family Rallidae.Their breeding habitat is marshes and sedge beds across temperate Europe into western Asia. They nest in a dry location in marsh vegetation, laying 6-15 eggs...
(Porzana porzana), the Corn Crake
Corn Crake
The Corn Crake, Corncrake or Landrail is a bird in the rail family. It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as western China, and migrates to Africa for the winter...
(Crex crex), the Common Crane
Common Crane
The Common Crane , also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes.It is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 100–130 cm long, with a 180–240 cm wingspan and a weight of 4.5–6 kg...
(Grus grus), the White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
(Haliaeetus albicilla), Lesser Spotted Eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
(Aquila pomarina), Marsh harrier
Marsh harrier
The marsh harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. They are medium-sized raptors and the largest and broadest-winged harriers. Most of them are associated with marshland and dense reedbeds...
, the Honey Buzzard
Honey Buzzard
The European Honey Buzzard , is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers....
(Pernis apivorus), the Tengmalm's Owl
Tengmalm's Owl
Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus, is a small owl. It is also known as the Tengmalm's Owl after Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm. Other names for the owl include Richardson's Owl, Funeral Owl , Sparrow Owl and Pearl Owl...
(Aegolius funereus), the White Stork
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
(Ciconia ciconia), the Black Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
The Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius, is a large woodpecker, 45–50 cm long with a 64–84 cm wingspan. Body weight is approximately 300-400 grams on average. It is easily the largest woodpecker in its range...
, the White-backed Woodpecker
White-backed Woodpecker
The White-backed Woodpecker is a Eurasian woodpecker belonging to the genus Dendrocopos.It is the largest of the spotted woodpeckers in the western Palearctic, 24–26 cm long with wing-span 38–40 cm and has plumage similar to the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but with white bars across the...
(Dendrocopos leucotos), the Red-backed Shrike
Red-backed Shrike
The Red-backed Shrike is a carnivorous passerine bird and member of the shrike family Laniidae.English common names include 'Wariangle' and 'worrier'.-Description:...
(Lanius collurio), the Barred Warbler
Barred Warbler
The Barred Warbler is a typical warbler which breeds across temperate regions of central and eastern Europe and western and central Asia. This passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in tropical eastern Africa....
(Sylvia nisoria) and other. The area serves as a haunt for birds nesting nearby, e.g. in Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest is a large virgin forest complex located in Poland as well as in northern Belarus and southeastern Lithuania. The forest covers about 1,600 km², of which 1,140 km² is in Poland....
.
For big mammals, like wolves or deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, the Rospuda Valley serves as a migratory corridor, through which they move west from Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest is a large virgin forest complex located in Poland as well as in northern Belarus and southeastern Lithuania. The forest covers about 1,600 km², of which 1,140 km² is in Poland....
and Biebrza National Park
Biebrza National Park
Biebrza National Park is a national park in Podlaskie Voivodeship, northeastern Poland, situated along the Biebrza River.The largest of Poland’s 23 National Parks, the Biebrza National Park was created on September 9, 1993...
. Moreover, the Valley is also inhabited by beavers, otters, foxes and other animals.
Nature Protection
- An area of protected landscape (since 1989)
- A quiet zone
- Part of the European Ecological Networks Nature 2000 designated under the Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds as a Special Bird Protection Area
- Part of Augustów Primeval ForestAugustów Primeval ForestAugustów Primeval Forest is a large virgin forest complex located in Poland as well as in northern Belarus and southeastern Lithuania. The forest covers about 1,600 km², of which 1,140 km² is in Poland....
Sanctuary (since 2004) - The top position on the Shadow List of areas that according to scientists and ecological organizations should be designated as a Special Areas of Conservation under the Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna
- A junction of internationally recognized significance in National Ecological Networks due to its geomorphologic, hydrological and biotic characteristics, as well as the structure of the landscape, the already protected areas and those that shall be protected
A nature reserve will be created at Rospuda Valley. It will protect the musk orchid, the woodgrouse, sea eagle, and lesser spotted eagle, which nest in the area. The reserve will be a part of Augustów-Druskienniki Protected Area, which is being created with the cooperation of Poland, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
.
Threats
Augustów
Augustów is a town in north-eastern Poland with 29,600 inhabitants . It lies on the Netta River and the Augustów Canal. It is situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , having previously been in Suwałki Voivodeship . It is the seat of Augustów County and of Gmina Augustów.In 1970 Augustów became...
ring road.
Ecological activists as well as scientists such as botanists, zoologists, ecology experts, hydrologists experts on peat bog plant cover and the European Commission are of the opinion that the Rospuda Valley is endangered by the plans of construction of the Augustów ringroad.
If the project is realized, the wildlife will be damaged not only by the expressway itself, but also by the construction process. The noise and pollution inherent in construction work would harm the breeding grounds of various bird species, some of which are protected, as well as some endangered plant species Furthermore, construction of the overpass may disturb the fragile water systems in the valley.
Because the documentation of the project does not state the influence of the enterprise on the water systems and considering the inadequate plans for compensation of nature devastation, the European Commission asserts that the enterprise would hinder the avifauna, which is to be protected within the framework of Nature 2000.
Quite a different opinion on the matter is held by the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA). They claim that the way the overpass is going to be built, as well as the devices designed to discharge the water from the road to the outside of the valley will effectively minimize the damage.
The National Environment Protection Council (an advisory body of the Ministry of the Environment) speaks reprovingly of the project, indicating impossibility of any compensation for the project and erroneousness of the peat bog type evaluation as well as of the mode of supplying it with water.
The Via Baltica controversy of 2006-2009
In December 2006 the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
opened legal infringement procedures against the Polish government for consenting to the road developments, which would severely damage important and protected natural sites. In February 2007 the governor of the local province signed the go-ahead for the construction works to start, claiming that all legal requirements had been met , despite the fact that the region is protected by the EU Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
program and Poland can be severely fined by the EU for constructing the highway. On 13 February 2007 the Polish Ombudsman
Polish Ombudsman
The Polish Ombudsman is an independent central office of the Republic of Poland. The office was first established on January 1, 1988. Its functioning is regulated by the Constitution and an act of Polish parliament from July 15, 1987...
launched an appeal against the decision, with the aim of halting construction works. The appeal was based on suspicion that alternative routings of the bypass were not taken into consideration . An independent road designer's variant omits the Rospuda valley and was estimated to cost €17 million less than the currently planned environmentally damaging variant.. There have been strong protests by activists and politicians both in Poland and abroad. However, the construction has not been called off. In February 2007 a number of environmental activists pitched a camp in the endangered region to prevent the construction work. The Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza
Gazeta Wyborcza
Gazeta Wyborcza is a leading Polish newspaper. It covers the gamut of political, international and general news. Like all the Polish newspapers, it is printed on compact-sized paper, and is published by the multimedia corporation Agora SA...
has launched an on-line petition signed by over 140,000 people asking the Polish President Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
to respect the law, preserve the Rospuda Valley and direct the Augustów
Augustów
Augustów is a town in north-eastern Poland with 29,600 inhabitants . It lies on the Netta River and the Augustów Canal. It is situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , having previously been in Suwałki Voivodeship . It is the seat of Augustów County and of Gmina Augustów.In 1970 Augustów became...
bypass via a different route. On February 22, 2007 the construction of the Augustów bypass expressway began with the taking of geodetic
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
measurements. There was unofficial information that earthworks are, for now, being begun only from the Augustów side, away from the protected area, and where both road variants overlap. On February 27, 2007 scaring birds away from the Rospuda valley started with permission issued by the Chief Nature Conservator, suggesting that heavy construction works in the valley will soon begin, as the Polish public television TVP
Telewizja Polska
Telewizja Polska Spółka Akcyjna is Poland's public broadcasting corporation...
reported .
In 2009 the Polish authorities announced that the plan to build the highway through Rospuda valley has been abandoned, and a new alternative route that avoids the valley has been selected.
In 2010 Malgorzata Gorska
Małgorzata Górska
Małgorzata Górska is a Polish activist and conservationist, who played an integral role in the movement to protect the Rospuda Valley in north-eastern Poland, one of Europe’s last true wilderness areas....
, one of the leaders of the fight to protect the Rospuda Valley won the Goldman Environmental Prize
Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize awarded annually to grassroots environmental activists, one from each of the world's six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The prize includes a no-strings-attached award of...
.
External links
The presentation of the seminary on the natural values of the Rospuda Valley during the open meeting of the Board of Biology Department on 26 March 2007 at the Warsaw University Save the Rospuda Valley Save the Rospuda Valley campaign U źródeł rzeki NGOs fight to rescue Rospuda Valley Get Involved! Save the Rospuda Valley, articles, petition, Viabaltica Viabaltica- Satellite view of the Rospuda valley on Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
.