The ‘Hel Happiness’ project planned on the Hel Peninsula is causing intense debate and protests from local residents. The project requires the removal of hundreds of trees from a nature-protected area, which, according to many, threatens serious ecological and social consequences. The felling on Hel has touched many communities who want to prevent the degradation of the wildlife sanctuary.
The felling at Hel and the effects on the environment
The felling of trees not only affects the deterioration of the landscape, but also the balance of the ecosystem. Vegetation protects the soil from erosion, regulates the microclimate and provides shelter for birds and animals. Trees also act as a natural barrier against wind and salinity. Their removal can weaken the resilience of the coastal area, increase vulnerability to flooding and accelerate the deterioration of the shoreline. From the residents’ perspective, the lack of greenery reduces quality of life and limits recreational space.
The “Hel Happiness” investment project
“Hel Happiness” is to include the construction of a hotel and apartment complex with a wellness area. The plans envisage buildings up to 18 metres high and car parks for around 200-260 vehicles. For the implementation of the project, 433 trees will have to be felled. The area where the construction is planned is located within the boundaries of the Seaside Landscape Park and the Natura 2000 area.
The investor and the local authorities emphasise that they have the required documents, including the construction permit and the environmental decision. The latter indicates that the project will not significantly disturb protected habitats if it does not exceed the designated surface threshold.
Opposition from residents – “Save the Hel Peninsula”
Residents of Hel do not agree with these arguments, so they have set up the initiative “Save the Helski Cypel”. Nearly 30,000 signatures have already been collected under the petition, and it asks for a halt to the felling and a reassessment of the environmental impact of the development. Critics point out that public consultation was inadequate and that the analyses did not take into account cumulative effects with other investments in the region.
The list of trees to be felled included oaks with a circumference of more than three metres, birches and lime trees. Those specimens to disappear have already been marked with orange spray. It has also been argued that new plantings will not immediately replace the function of mature specimens that have taken decades to develop.
Some residents, on the other hand, fear that the massive investment will lead to a loss of local identity and exacerbate the depopulation of the city, and that the planned jobs will not compensate for the social and natural losses.
Logging on Hel and concerns of environmentalists
Experts warn of the negative effects of tree removal on the stability of the coastal strip and natural protective barriers. The Hel Headland also plays an important role as a resting point for migratory birds, so any interference with its landscape structure could have long-term consequences. Young plantings are not immediately able to take over the functions of mature trees in terms of ground stabilisation, air cooling or water retention.
Date of tree felling on Hel
From 15 October, the developer will be given a formal opportunity to start felling. This date has been set after the end of the bird breeding season. The authorities of Hel have asked the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection for its position on the matter. Despite possible administrative action, investment pressure on the Hel Peninsula is increasing and there are many indications that similar challenges will recur in the future. In the meantime, we await further developments regarding the construction of ‘Hel Happiness’.
Below is a video promoting the investment:
A link to the petition can be found HERE
Source: Ratujmy Helski Cypel, money.pl, tvn24.pl
Read also: Greenery | Ecology | Forest | Education | Urban planning
