Trimodal Terminal Gateway Basel Nord presents conservation concept

The trimodal Gateway Basel Nord makes Basel the most important freight transport hub in Switzerland. As part of the project, extensive nature conservation measures are planned. A corresponding concept was submitted to the Federal Office of Transport last Friday. This contains more measures in favor of nature than announced one and a half years ago.

(Basel) The terminal Gateway Basel Nord is expected to significantly contribute to shifting freight transport from road to rail. In the future, 50 percent of the container transport will be shifted to rail at Gateway Basel Nord, which can save up to 100,000 truck trips annually.

As part of the project’s implementation, Gateway Basel Nord aims to minimize the impact on the existing natural environment wherever possible and provide sufficient additional areas. Therefore, Gateway Basel Nord
submitted a comprehensive and revised nature conservation concept to the Federal Office of Transport on March 23, 2022.

Sustainable projects planned

As a large number of valuable plants and animals have settled on the site designated for the project in northern Basel over time, Gateway Basel Nord defined ecological compensation areas of 45.8 hectares
in 2020. This area is four times larger than the area to be built for the project, which will occupy a total of 11.5 hectares. On the 45.8 hectares of ecological compensation area, variousmeasures are planned, which are documented in the revised nature conservation concept.

Wildlife corridor and forest enhancement

“We are convinced that with our nature conservation concept we can handle nature very carefully and can replace the areas affected by the project equivalently,” says Martin Haller, chairman of the management board of Gateway Basel Nord. “We are very committed to fulfilling our promises from the referendum campaign ‘Hafenbecken 3’. Therefore, our current concept also includes even more measures for nature than announced one and a half years ago,” he adds.

Thus, in addition to the already announced measures at the port railway station, a nature bridge is planned to strengthen the wildlife corridor for animals and plants. A bridge approximately 4,000 m2 in size, about 300 meters long, will be built over the traffic areas, on which a species-rich dry meadow will be established. At Hard Pratteln, the area will be transformed into a structurally– and species-rich forest habitat. The goal is to promote a higherbiodiversity and to open up the forestwithout impairing the recreational use of the forest.

Photo: © Gateway Basel Nord