Fuss about ÖBB procedure

Bird nesting sites destroyed despite protection period

Krumpendorf local councillor Markus Steindl in front of the noise barrier, whose wild vines have already been brutally cut down.

(Bild: zVg)

In Krumpendorf, the hedges and so-called façade greenery along the noise barriers have been radically cleared by ÖBB - despite the birds' current nesting and breeding phase!

Krumpendorf residents speak of a terrible sight when they report the radical removal of hedges along the noise barriers on the Südbahnweg. "It's madness, there are lots of birds nesting there with their young!" was the tenor of the concerned animal rights activists.

Destruction of breeding sites is illegal
A fear that, according to BirdLife Austria, is entirely justified. "We strongly advise against cutting hedges from March to August, as hedges and façade greenery serve as breeding grounds for blackbirds, chaffinches, goldfinches and many other songbirds during this time," says Susanne Schreiner from BirdLife, adding: "According to the International Birds Directive, all wild bird species are protected. If breeding sites are deliberately destroyed, this is illegal and a complaint can be filed with the local district administrative authority."

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"Birds are scared away before work begins"
ÖBB has issued the following statement: "The current work involves the complete removal of the greenery along the noise barriers to ensure their function and safety. The implementation depends on the available resources of the service provider. The maintenance plan also takes ecological aspects into account. For example, before work begins, birds are scared away by knocking down the noise barriers overgrown with greenery. As a result of this measure, no nesting sites were found," says Rosanna Zernatto-Peschel from ÖBB.

Once planted, now uprooted
According to local councillor Markus Steindl, this justification is incomprehensible: "The hedges were once planted by ÖBB itself and are now being ripped out again. And this along one of the most beautiful and busiest cycle paths in Carinthia. Instead of beautiful greenery, there are now bare walls. What's more, the vegetation is still there on the inside, which is also a functional argument."