Natural Environment
Reclamation of post-exploitation areas
The area of the former mining site, located in the right-bank part of the city of Opole, between Budowlanych and Luboszycka streets, has been reclaimed. Our goal was to restore the natural values lost due to industrial activity to the post-exploitation areas. The area of 17 hectares has once again become a habitat for many protected species of animals and plants.
In the area of the no longer active ODRA I quarry, many valuable and endangered bird species live. They are subject to legal protection under the Habitats Directive (dyrektywa-siedliskowa (gdos.gov.pl)) and Birds Directive (EUR-Lex - 32009L0147 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)) forming the basis of the European Natura 2000 nature protection system.
Research conducted by the Department of Biosystematics of the University of Opole shows that there are as many as 45 protected species in the quarry area. Among them are breeding birds such as the common pochard, chaffinch, jay, oriole, rusty nightingale, wagtail, mallard, coot, crested lark, great spotted woodpecker, cuckoo, magpie, as well as non-breeding birds, including sparrow, herring gull, cormorant, river tern. The most valuable species inhabiting the quarry area is the field pipit.
Birds inhabit the surrounding trees and reeds bordering the water reservoir.
Birds are not the only inhabitants of the quarry. Close to the water and under the stones, amphibians and reptiles also reside, similarly to birds, they are subject to species protection.
During sunny days, we can encounter basking viviparous lizards and smooth newts on the stones. In the evenings, the common toad along with the grass snake give a concert, which is listened to by the crested newt.
Valuable inhabitants of the quarry also include bats occurring in 3 species: greater mouse-eared bat, rufous bat, and brown long-eared bat.
From the world of insects, an important species is the small emerald damselfly – a "fairy-tale" dragonfly, which is placed on the red list of dying and endangered animals in Poland.
In the quarry area, there are as many as 200 out of 532 species of declining and rare plants listed on the red list of plants endangered with extinction. Among them is one of the most endangered – the marsh orchid. Along the edge of the water reservoir, we can find the beautiful centaury, and floating in the water itself is the shining pondweed, which has been listed on the list of endangered communities in our region.
