Landscaping
The word “airport” does not always induce thoughts of nature. Nevertheless, an airport is also a natural environment.
The largest part of an airport’s grounds is made up of greenery. For German airports, the average percentage of “green space” is 70%.
Air safety is the main priority when designing and maintaining green areas at an airport. Load bearing capacities and a freedom from obstacles are important criteria, but so is making the area less attractive to flocks of or large birds which can pose a danger to air traffic safety.
An airport as a nature reserve?
Of course the percentage of paved surfaces at an airport is high. However, one should not forget that, compared to other methods of transportation, air traffic uses the smallest surface area. (Source in German: ADV)
At Leipzig/Halle Airport the green areas cover 241.33 hectares - after the expansion of the southern runway.
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Environmentally Friendly Cultivation
Ecological compensation measures
The expansion of the southern runway and apron was - in size and many other ways - an intrusion into the appearance and character of an entire region. It was very important to those involved in the planning of the airport expansion to act in a responsible way with regards to the relationship between the airport and the environment.
In order to maintain the variety of species in the vicinity, many projects have been and are being used to create ecological balance and compensate for the building plans. As a direct result of these compensation measures around 375 hectares of land have been greened over.
The centerpieces of this ecological compensation are the “Gerbisdorfer Trenches“, the natural monument “Gerbisdorfer Sand Pits”, the “Northern Reservoir”, areas south of Radefeld and Freiroda – “Kalter Born”, the area around the former malt factory or the “Old Schkeuditz Public Bath”. The subproject “Gerbisdorfer Sand Pits”, which covers 14 hectares, contains extensive spawning grounds which were moved, shallow water biotopes, woodlots, and meadows.
The “Northern Reservoir”, which is 28 hectares in size, is a part of the biotope corridor connected to the “Gerbisdorfer Sand Pits”. The reservoir is primarily a rainwater retention basin. So called “foothold” biotopes create a link between wooded areas and biotopes which are separated and ensure a natural transition for flora and fauna. Also included in the measures are further ponds, the renaturation of streams and the planting of wooded areas, hedges and meadow or grassed areas.
The aim of all our ecological compensation efforts is the partial restoration of the natural landscape typical for the area and the preservation of the habitat around Leipzig/Halle Airport.
