Every project has some less spectacular but crucial steps. For us, this is the relocation of protected plants during the expansion of the M1 motorway.

As a result of botanical surveys, according to strict legal requirements, we have to replant protected plants living next to the motorway.

The plants can be moved to an area near their original growing area, as determined by a specialist. Collection and planting work may only be carried out by a biologist (botanist) with the necessary professional references.

Along the motorway, there are 6 sites with 7 protected and 1 specially protected plant species:

• lady orchid (Orchis purpurea)
• spring pheasant’s eye (Adonis vernalis)
• thicket-dwelling hellebore (Helleborus dumetorum)
• lesser butterfly-orchid (Platanthera bifolia)
• hairy flax (Linum hirsutum)
• autumn lady’s-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis)
• bastard speedwell (Pseudolysimachion spurium) – specially protected
• marsh sowthistle (Sonchus palustris)

The vegetation will be removed in several phases in autumn 2024 and the first half of 2025, after which the earthworks and road construction will take place.

Alongside the widened motorway, new embankments will be created, where, in the longer term, regeneration of habitats similar to the current ones is expected.

The nearly half a thousand relocated plants are followed up by a specialist for a defined period to ensure success.

Next week we return with an important and interesting workflow!