In September 2013, NaturaServis Ltd. installed the permanent barrier/fence developed by the company itself, reaching 470 meters in length, close to the Čertůvka stream near the city of Hradec Králové (eastern Bohemia).
The barrier will prevent amphibians and other small animals from penetrating the D11 Highway. It consists of two meters long metal plates fixed to metal bollard pillars on the surface, coated by zinc thermal spraying. Because of special profiles in plates, the barrier cannot be overcome even by amphibians from the order
Caudata (salamanders, newts). In a bottom part of the plate, there is a crooking against the direction of animal movement so that the animals cannot undermine the fence. At the same time, the modification makes individual plates more stable. Since the individual plates are put together, there is no space between them allowing very recently metamorphosed amphibians to overcome the fence. The system is perfect also when the soil is heavily compacted. If the barrier is damaged, the individual plates can be easily replaced without breaking the integrity of the rest of the barrier. At the Čertůvka stream, a low type of the barrier was applied: thus, the barrier cannot damage the site´s general perception. In addition, the type is cheaper than a high one reaching 70 centimetres above the terrain.
Building roads, motorways and highways,
e.g. D11, significantly influence local fauna, to a limited extent also local flora. Installing a permanent barrier/fence protect local amphibian and other small animal populations because they can enter the adjacent cross-road without being killed by cars. Thus, the implementation of the measure has fully met the requirements set by administrative decision issued by the respective State Nature Conservancy authority.