The compensatory measures around the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport have been concluded. Dr Karsten Mühlenfeld, CEO of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH, Jörg Vogelsänger, Minister for Rural Development, Environment and Agriculture in the state of Brandenburg, Stephan Loge, District Administrator of the district of Dahme-Spreewald, Dr Udo Haase, Mayor of the municipality of Schönefeld and Jörn Lehmann, Mayor of the town of Liebenwalde, inspected completion of the “In den Gehren” park area with presentation of the wild “Liebenthaler Wildlinge” horses to the municipality of Schönefeld.
Dr Karsten Mühlenfeld, CEO of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH: “Like a green belt, the compensatory measures for construction of the BER span a total area of 500 hectares around the new airport. We are therefore complying with our responsibility towards local communities. And not only over the short term as we will be ensuring over the next 25 years that all of these measures develop optimally. The park areas can now be filled with life by local residents.”
Jörg Vogelsänger, Minister for Rural Development, Environment and Agriculture in the state of Brandenburg: “The Liebenthaler Wildlinge are a particular treasure and a regional specialty. This local breed of horses can only be found in Liebenthal. These placid animals are outside all year round, help in the area of behavioural research and are also used as therapy animals. It’s wonderful that some of them have now found a new home here in Schönefeld creating a symbolic link between business and conservation in the form of this compensatory measure.”
Stephan Loge, District Administrator of the district of Dahme-Spreewald: “Within the framework of compensatory measures, three new landscape parks are being established around the airport and the former Großziethen estate park is to be revived. Grazing by wild horses in the new “In den Gehren” park represents a unique form of landscaping thereby incorporating it in a green belt which is being developed around the airport with the aid of compensatory measures. Apart from the parks, compensatory measures also include newly-planted avenues and ponds as well as reforestation re-establishing the natural surroundings and landscapes in the immediate vicinity of the airport.”
Dr Udo Haase, Mayor of the municipality of Schönefeld: “Completion of this compensatory measure has made two things quite obvious for the municipality of Schönefeld: first of all, things are moving at BER Airport, even if only in small steps which will however ultimately lead to success. Secondly, the good and trust-based collaboration between the municipality of Schönefeld and the airport company FBB is finally bearing fruit and is proof of the possible benefits for both those living in the airport environs and the airline operators.”
Jörn Lehmann, Mayor of the town of Liebenwalde: “Ten horses from the Liebenthaler herd have been relocated for the compensatory measures in the vicinity of Berlin Brandenburg Airport. The Liebenthaler horse which is an officially protected name is very suitable for conserving the landscape. They are geldings, i.e. castrated stallions aged between two and three. I am delighted that Liebenwalde has also been able to make its contribution to the BER.”
Compensatory measures around BER
The airport company supports a variety of projects for ecological compensation for the inevitable changes to the landscape associated with expansion of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport. In the immediate vicinity of the airport, compensatory measures spanning 500 hectares have been applied like a green belt around the future airport. The aim is to create recreation areas around the airport and to strengthen the biotope network. Furthermore, the Zülow lowlands are being developed and upgraded ecologically. The open lowlands covering around 2,600 hectares represent the largest compensatory measure. In collaboration with local farmers, compensatory measures are being applied on arable land creating a biotope network which is to be maintained by the respective farms.
Facts and figures
The following link contains a fact-and-figure sheet on the compensatory measures around BER:
13.05.2015
