Natural assets in the right-of-way of A-4 Motorway in the Góra Świętej Anny Landscape Park, Opole Region

Construction of the A-4 Motorway section in the Opole Region begun in Summer 1997. Very soon vigorous resistance of ecological NGOs was encountered. The bone of contention was the section of motorway that passes through the Góra Świętej Anny Landscape Park and verges the natural reserve of strict protection Ligota Dolna where rare species of thermophilic plants are sheltered. Between 2011 and 2013 a detailed mycological, geobotanical, floristic and fauna research took place within the right-of-way of the A-4 Motorway section crossing the Góra Świętej Anny Landscape Park in the Opole Region. The survey revealed several rare and protected species of fungi, plants and animals along the road, including the greatest in Poland population of Austrian flax Linum austriacum. The area also harbors the only site of xerothermic grass of Festuco-Brometea class with so many rare and putrefying plant species inside a motorway’s right-of-way in Poland. Given the occurrence of many interesting species of plants and animals in the motorway surrounding it seems justified to establish a system of ecological monitoring, which could provide a range of valuable findings regarding the impact of motorway traffic on surrounding flora and fauna. This knowledge would be very useful for all those involved in construction of next motorways in Poland as well as for a wide circle of interested researchers.