OREANDA-NEWS. June 06, 2012.  Since the beginning of 2012, Russian Railways has planted over 163,000 plants listed in the Red Book as endangered species as part of the measures the Company is taking to mitigate the effects of the construction work involved in building new infrastructure for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

In the design and construction of the federal Olympic facility the "Combined Road and Rail Link Adler - Alpika-Service Mountain Resort", an integrated package of measures aimed at preventing and minimising the environmental impact of the construction work has been implemented.

In 2011, the Company planted 73,999 rare plant species listed in Russia’s Red Book in Sochi National Park to help compensate for the construction work.

During construction work on the "Cape Vidny Coastal Bypass", 138 Pitsunda pine seedlings were planted at Cape Vidny in Sochi’s Khostinsky District.

In the Administrative Directorate of the Kuban Basin, a monitoring programme for the River Mzymta has been agreed. In accordance with the approvals received at the Azov-Black Sea Territorial Management of Rosrybolovstvo regarding the "Combined Road and Rail Link Adler - Alpika-Service Mountain Resort, measures are being implemented to ensure the reproduction of aquatic biological resources.

Since the beginning of 2012, Russian Railways has planted more than 163,000 rare plants at the construction sites of various infrastructure facilities. These rare species include pyramidal anacamptis, cephalanthera macranthon, green-hued orchid, Caucasian adder’s tongue, Caucasian, shadow crocus, bird’s nest orchid, Steveniella satyrioides, male orchis, Cephalanthera longifolia and others.

In April 2012, 50,000 Black Sea salmon yearlings were released into the river Mzymta.

At the industrial and construction sites, all types of wastewater are constantly collected and purified and wide-ranging integrated measures have been implemented to prevent landslides and erosion and to protect the shore. Protective measures against flooding and measures to reduce dust, gas, air contamination and noise levels have also been put into place.

Development projects have been worked out for all stretches of forest land. These projects have received positive assessments by government experts from Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, according to which compensatory measures for the conservation of rare species of trees and plants are being implemented.

The route of the road between the first and second tunnel was redirected to run behind the area of boxwood growth and the railway construction changed, which has resulted in a tenfold reduction of the damage to the boxwood forest.