Euro-Site-Member | Network news

LIFE AMBITION (Amphibian Biotope Improvement in the Netherlands) focused on the restoration and enlargement of habitats, and the creation of sustainable ecological corridors between the habitats of five target species of amphibians. The LIFE AMBITION Project has created and restored hundreds of spawning waters and adjacent land biotopes, and provided a vital boost for endangered amphibians. The project was delivered over 14 protected areas, in the Dutch provinces of Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland and Limburg.

LIFE AMBITION focused on the following species:

• great crested newt;
• yellow-bellied toad;
• midwife toad;
• European tree frog; and the,
• common spadefoot toad.

These amphibians are included in the Red List of protected species and fall under the Habitats Directive. - they are of great value in the context of European biodiversity.

The Provinces, area managers and species-protecting organisations have worked closely together in the project’s delivery and the public information activities in order to involve the public at large and the
local population.

Some amphibians take some years before they colonise new waters, although positive results of the LIFE AMBITION Project to-date can already be seen. It is anticpated that many of the restored and new spawning waters will be inhabited by these endangered species over the coming years. The project has now run its course, but the reccomendations are to continue monitoring amphibian population dynamics, to continue to extend the water networks, and to establish a cyclical managment regime to maintain and improve the biotopes.

The LIFE AMBITION website will be located at http://www.life-ambition.com until the end of April 2009. After this time, the information will be hosted at http://www.ravon.nl.

For more information, please contact LIFE AMBITION Project Coordniator Roelof Heringa R.Heringa@staatsbosbeheer.nl.