ASF fence planned in the Lower Oder Valley National Park

Following criticism of the route of the fence to combat African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Lower Oder Valley National Park, the permanent fence there is to be partially relocated as announced.

By relocating the fence, the responsible authorities are responding to findings of injured and dead wildlife at the ASF fence as a result of the Oder flooding at the beginning of the year. The western fence of the protective corridor along the border with Poland will now be shifted westward through the greater part of Polder A. This will give wildlife sufficient space to retreat from the floodplain areas that are regularly affected by flooding. The reconstruction will begin immediately.

Anna Heyer-Stuffer: „The images of wildlife that had perished at the ASF fence have affected us all deeply. I am convinced that the solution we have now found represents a good compromise between animal and nature conservation, flood protection, and the fight against African Swine Fever. I would like to thank everyone involved for the swift and constructive collaboration. I have no sympathy for the wilful destruction of the fences. That is a misguided understanding of animal welfare. The successes in the fight against the highly dangerous ASF must not be put at risk. They also serve the welfare of both wild and domestic pigs.“

Anja Boudon: „We agree that unnecessary animal suffering at the ASF fence must be avoided now and in the future. Taking into account the necessary disease control measures as well as legally enshrined nature, animal, and flood protection, we have found a compromise with the planned fence route in the Lower Oder Valley National Park and are creating alternative areas for the animals. The fence reconstruction must begin now so that the measures take effect before the spring flooding. In and around FFH areas, compatibility assessments must be carried out in connection with the construction of ASF fences."

Karina Dörk: „For months, we have been consistently implementing the necessary steps to combat ASF in the Uckermark district. After images of dead roe deer emerged at the beginning of the year, we quickly took emergency measures to address the situation. The first images show that these measures are demonstrably working. With the fence relocation, we are creating a solution that takes into account both disease control and animal welfare concerns. The fact that ASF is currently moving northward from western Poland is evident from fresh ASF findings in the area of the national park as well.

Emergency measures by the district are showing results

At the beginning of the year, an increasing number of injured and dead wild animals had been found at the ASF fence in the Lower Oder Valley National Park. Apparently, due to the flooding, the animals were unable to jump over the 1.20-metre-high fence as they normally would. The Uckermark district had responded immediately to the situation with emergency measures such as temporarily opening gates, lowering fence sections to 80 centimetres, creating roe deer passages, and building small animal ramps. The evaluation of these measures is showing initial success — wildlife cameras have captured footage of roe deer using the openings. The now agreed-upon fence reconstruction is intended to further improve conditions for wildlife while at the same time giving greater consideration to the needs of the national park.

Fixed fences are the most important measure in the fight against the highly dangerous African swine fever. Brandenburg, together with Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, currently forms thebulwark against the unchecked spread of African swine fevertowards the west.

African swine fever is a contagious systemic disease affecting pigs (domestic and wild boar) that is almost always fatal and incurable. There is no way to protect pigs through preventive vaccination. The disease can be transmitted directly from animal to animal, or indirectly through contaminated objects (clothing, shoes, vehicles) and feed, and can be spread to other areas by humans. ASF is not contagious or dangerous to humans or other animal species.