LIFE ToadAlly-project (English)

Due to their extreme vulnerability and complex lifestyle, amphibians are considered “The canary in the coal mine” for environmental  and climate change. Globally, over 40 % of amphibians are threatened with extinction, clearly demonstrating the crisis they are  facing. In the EU, the main threats to amphibians include habitat degradation, habitat fragmentation, climate change, advancing  invasive alien species (IAS) and, despite their familiarity, a low public awareness of their challenges, impact people have and how  they can contribute to amphibian conservation.  By restoring both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, ToadAlly aims not only to improve living conditions for amphibians, but also to benefit many other species. After all, the toad is a signal species, or umbrella species: by restoring their ecosystem, the situation for other species also improves. 

The approach we take in the LIFE ToadAlly project is unique in its comprehensiveness, as we will bridge population recovery, habitat  restoration, population connectivity, climate adaptation, public and stakeholder mobilisation, and policy integration to yield  maximum conservation results within the project perimeter, through collaborations and synergies with projects in NL and DE , in the  cross-border three country region (BE-NL-DE) and beyond.  

We will restore over 100 ha of key terrestrial habitat, establish 145 shelters in the form of rockpiles or hedges, and restore or establish  over 300 ponds, and reintroduce or restock at least 8 populations of target species. By recruiting over 100 local volunteers as local  stewards and integrating project objectives in 3 species protection plans Flanders and 3 species action plans in Wallonia, we ensure a  long-term after-LIFE impact of LIFE ToadAlly project.

The overall objective of the LIFE ToadAlly project is to improve the conservation status of four highly endangered toad species in the  Belgian provinces of Limburg and Liege and beyond. The target species Midwife toad, Natterjack toad, Yellow-bellied toad and the Common Spadefoot depend on increasingly rare dynamic or pioneer habitat and require a broad approach and tailored measures.  

How are we going to tackle this problem?

Through:

• Habitat Restoration and Connectivity
• Population Regeneration
• Policy Integration and Species Action Plans
• Public / Privae / Stakeholder engagement

In Flanders, the project will focus on 10 Natura 2000 sites in the province of Limburg and in the Voer-region enclosed between Liege and the Netherlands. Most sites are located within the Atlantic  Biogeographic Region (CBR), with Voeren on the Continental-Atlantic border. The project will also target plots outside the Natura 2000 network, within a maximum buffer radius of 10 km around the targeted sites  (see Figure 2 and Table 3). The total area covered by the project in Flanders is 293 952.94 hectares,  including 28 808.94 ha hectares of Natura 2000 sites that are of relevance to the target species. This area  is the only one in Flanders where the 4 target species have current or historic populations (Yellow-bellied  toad is locally extinct in Voeren), and where there are still important core populations which are degrading  but have a high potential for improvement.  

In Wallonia, the project will focus on 11 Natura 2000 sites, primarily in the province of Liège, with one site  extending into the province of Luxembourg at the border with Liège. All sites are located within the  Continental Biogeographic Region (CBR). The project will also target plots outside the Natura 2000  network, within a maximum buffer radius of 10 km around the targeted sites (see Figure 3 and Table 3).  The total area covered by the project in Wallonia is around 233 900.52 hectares, including 5812.45  hectares of Natura 2000 network and the 10 km buffer around those sites. This area is the only one in  Wallonia where the 3 target species co-occur (Pelobates fuscus does not occur in Wallonia), and where  there are still important core populations which are degrading but have a high potential for improvement.  Natagora is well established in the project area,  managing over 850 hectares across 53 nature reserves. The Walloon region also boasts 221.18 ha of  nature reserves spread across 26 sites.  

Elzéard Foundation aims at establishing a cross-regional corridor between the Eifel-Hautes Fagnes  National park in the east and the Meuse river and National Park Hoge Kempen in the west through land  acquisition with private funding from philanthropy. This corridor will be mapped to connect existing nature  reserves, forests and Natura 2000 areas from east to west. Where opportunities exist, new core areas will  be created and existing core areas will be enlarged, to increase ecosystem resilience and habitat  availability. 

Species: 

- Common Spadefoot Toad

- Natterjack Toad

- Yellow-Bellied Toad

- Midwife Toad