Hermann Hesse Railway delayed: bats save the route!

Hermann Hesse Railway delayed: bats save the route!

The Hermann Hesse Railway between Calw and Weil der Stadt has an eventful history behind it. Commissioning was planned for 2015, but there were significant delays due to the protection of bats. “The route could attract around 2,800 passengers a day,” explains Frank von Meißner, managing director of the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn association, and points out the importance of the project. After long negotiations, the last bureaucratic hurdle was overcome at the end of August 2023: the partition walls for the new bat tunnels were approved, giving impetus to the construction of a specialized tunnel for the animals. These measures are necessary to combine rail operations with responsible environmental protection, as the “Hirsau” and “Forst” tunnels represent important quarters for the animals.

There are 18 different species of bats that hibernate in these tunnels or use them as swarming and breeding grounds. Around 1,000 animals can be found in the protected areas all year round, which underlines the importance of these places for the bat population in Baden-Württemberg. The last time a passenger train traveled through these tunnels was 40 years ago; Freight traffic stopped five years later, allowing nature to take over.

Bats in focus

What makes bats so special? These skilled aviators are the only mammals to have learned active flight and have evolved over 50 million years. There are 25 species of bats in Germany, including the native pipistrelle and the great bearded bat. Unfortunately, many of them are critically endangered. The loss of their habitats, intensive agriculture and contaminated sites have been dragging down populations since the 1950s.

Of course, they are also at the center of the current replanning for the Hermann Hesse Railway. A so-called “tunnel-within-a-tunnel” is being installed to provide the bats with an undisturbed habitat. Ultrasonic loudspeakers are also intended to help keep the animals away from the migration routes and guide them into the designated chambers. The protective measures that have already been approved also include compensatory measures such as new orchards and forest pasture management, which are intended to benefit not only the bats but the entire ecosystem.

Cooperation for species protection

How important species protection is for those involved in the project is reflected in the now well-established cooperation between NABU, the regional council and the Calw district. Despite initial disagreements, these actors are now mobilizing their forces to put the project into action. It is hoped that trains will be able to run from Calw to Weil der Stadt by the end of 2023, which will mean a significant improvement for regional connections.

A total of 207 million euros have already been invested in this project, around 80 million of which are for measures relating to species protection. These investments are aimed at future-oriented mobility that aims to bring people and nature into harmony.