Breda gives more space to the tree frog: Living area of ​​10 kilometers | Today

Through: Hanneke Marcelis Monday, February 14 7:00 PM – 2022

BREDA – – Alderman Tim van het Hof and water board administrator Hans Peter Verroen will kick off the final works of the ecological connection zone (EVZ) for the tree frog on Thursday 17 February. The tree frog will soon be able to move over a length of 10 kilometers between the Molenschotse Heide in Gilze-Rijen and the Chaamse Bossen in Alphen-Chaam.

The construction of so-called “stepping stones” creates an attractive landscape for the tree frog, but also for other amphibians, insects, birds and mammals. The springboards are plots, scattered in the landscape, ranging from 4,000 m2 to 50,000 m2 with a natural layout.

Stronger population
Alderman Tim van het Hof: “Thanks to good cooperation with the water board, the province, the municipalities and other partners, we can now really give and protect the tree frog its home. We make the best use of vacant land along the Gilzerwouwerbeek to create 12 ski jumps. These ensure that the tree frog can move around and reproduce, thus ensuring a strong population. An additional advantage is that nature and therefore the living environment of the inhabitants will become even more attractive. Another big step in the implementation of our green compass.

Water collection
Hans Peter Verroen, Director of the Water Board: “The creation of small nature reserves and ponds creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of tree frogs and other animals. The natural area is an important part of the ecological, landscape and recreational values ​​of the Baronie. This natural layout also offers the possibility of recovering water during heavy downpours and thus avoiding flooding.

tree frog EVZ
Seven parties work together in the EVZ Boomkikker project: the municipalities of Alphen-Chaam, Breda, Gilze-Rijen, Water Board Brabantse Delta, Ministry of Defence, Staatsbosbeheer and the Toxandria Golf Club. The province of North Brabant and the Brabant Green Development Fund are making a substantial financial contribution to the realization of the project.

A robust ecological structure is created over a length of 10 kilometers by the construction of “stepping stones”, twelve of which are in the territory of Breda. Half of it has already been done; the other half will be built in this phase. The tree frog is very demanding on its living environment and this has been taken into account in the design. For example, the tree frog is spoiled with basins to reproduce, with a slope to warm up and with shelter from possible enemies.