Every year, tens of thousands of toads and frogs cross the provincial road between Heeze and Someren. For years, volunteers and schoolchildren transferred the animals, but that was an uphill battle. Many animals were killed on the busy road. Now the road is closed for the construction of fourteen tunnels for the amphibians. “This is a unique construction project and a special place that we should be proud of,” says project leader Cristian Timmermans.
One of the animals that jump, crawl or slither across the road every spring is the moor frog. “You will probably know him,” says Hans Teeven of the IVN, an association of active volunteers with the aim of nature and environmental education, in Heeze-Leende. “It’s the frog that always turns so beautifully blue.”
There are more than 170 locations in the Netherlands where amphibians are helped to cross the road. “95 percent of the moor frogs that are transferred to these locations come from here. So this is really a hotspot.”
Years ago, the IVN volunteers saw that it was getting very busy with frogs, toads and salamanders crossing. They are guided by primal instincts and move from their wintering place to their breeding place. But there is a very busy road in between.
“Three tunnels were not enough for this road.”
“We initially received three tunnels as a gift because we were celebrating fifty years as IVN,” says Teeven. “But we were informed that three tunnels would not be enough for this road,” adds fellow volunteer Geert Engels of the IVN. The tunnels may not be further apart than 75 meters. Otherwise, the toads, frogs and salamanders will no longer cross and return. “Then they no longer reproduce.”
There would also be a danger that too many animals would end up in the tunnels. The amphibians are not fond of politely waiting in line and giving priority. “We have experienced that entire buckets here were full to the top,” says Geert. “The animals at the bottom were very happy to get out of the bucket.”
“Costs approaching 1 million euros.”
Fourteen tunnels turned out to be necessary. Costs: around 1 million euros. “We did crowdfunding,” says Geert. “Because it was a private initiative, the province was prepared to contribute a significant amount. The municipalities of Someren, Heeze-Leende and Brabants Landschap also contributed.”
It is a special job for project leader Cristian Timmermans. “We looked abroad, especially Germany, to see how they do it there. Usually there are divers who walk under the road. But that is not possible here because our groundwater is high. Frogs and toads do like wetness, but they don’t like too much either.” The tunnels are quite high. Beams and grids are also placed so that the animals can find the entrance.
“We are now saving for a few more expensive cameras.”
The IVN will monitor the effect of the tunnels, although the builders are confident that it will turn out well. “We actually want to install wildlife cameras, but because the animals are cold-blooded, they cannot be seen on them,” says Geert Engels. “So we are now saving for a few more expensive cameras.”
