Those who think all we are interested in here at the construction site is concrete pillars, pipes and diggers are mistaken. We also take care of garlic toads, bats and old trees. Great consideration is shown towards nature in constructing BBI. Klaus Schwake, from ARCADIS Consult GmbH, makes sure of it. He takes care of so-called ecological monitoring of construction and recently told me what exactly that means.

 

Mr Schwake, what exactly is ecological monitoring of construction?

A construction site is always going to take its toll on nature. But with proper ecological monitoring, nature and the landscape can be sufficiently protected during construction. We make sure that the impact on nature and the landscape are kept to a minimum. This starts with checking the technical plans and monitoring the construction site.

 

What are you protecting?

One of our top priorities is to protect the tree population bordering on the construction site. One of our biggest projects, which is now almost complete, is relocating strictly protected toads from the construction site. We have even protected bats. At the moment, for example, we are taking care of ecological monitoring of road construction.

 

What exactly does that involve?

On the one hand, it involves rebuilding lanes that have been cut off, especially to the south-east of the airport. On the other, making sure construction is ecological when building new roads such as the B96a East, the A113 or the ring road around Selchow.

 

What do you mean by rebuilding lanes?

In building the airport, existing roads and country lanes have been cut off at certain points and end at the fence of the future airport. These lanes are being rebuilt for farmers to enable them to get from A to B, i.e. to their land.

 

And what do you do when building new roads?

We make sure that the top soil is correctly removed, deposited and then reapplied. We also pay particular attention to protecting trees and amphibians. For example, safety fences are erected and big pipes are built underneath the road during construction to preserve amphibian trails.

 

How often do you visit the construction site?

Two to three times a week.

 

Alone?

Usually, yes, but if necessary a colleague accompanies me. It's a full-time job with all the building activity going on. A high degree of spontaneity is called for because a lot of what goes on here is unpredictable. But that's why we're based on site.

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