February 28, 2022

German authorities to reposition ASF protection fence following criticism

German authorities will be partially locating a permanent African swine fever (ASF) protection fence in the Lower Oder Valley International Park, a shared German-Polish nature reserve, following criticism of its positioning.

Authorities are responding to the discovery of injured and dead wild animals at the fence as a result of the flooding of the Oder River at the beginning of the year.

At a joint meeting in Angermünde, Anna Heyer-Stuffer, head of the state crisis management team to combat ASF, Anja Boudon, State Secretary for the Environment and Agriculture, and Karina Dörk, Uckermark District Administrator, agreed on the new route for the fence.

The western fence of the protection corridor along the border with Poland will now be moved to the west in most of Polder A. This will provide the wild animals with enough space to retreat from the floodplain areas that are regularly affected by flooding. The position is expected to start immediately.

- MSGIV (Germany)