"Frogland" Project

Before the land consolidation in Schleswig-Holstein - as everywhere in Germany - there were many small water bodies throughout the rural landscape. The amalgamation of the areas as part of the land consolidation - especially after the Second World War - resulted in the loss of a large proportion of these waters. This made it easier for agriculture to cultivate, as the areas became more uniform and larger - amphibians, dragonflies and waterfowl, however, were deprived of their habitat.
With the project "Frogland", habitats for amphibians are to be created, restored and interconnected at suitable locations in Schleswig-Holstein. The task of the project is to create ponds and restore former amphibian ponds - in such a way that they feel comfortable there. The ponds will be adapted to the amphibian species occurring in the respective region and the surroundings will also be taken into account. Not all frogs are present in the ponds all year round, they also need a suitable land habitat to find food and hiding places.
The "Frogland" project has been funded by the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry for Energy, Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas since the end of 2009. The construction of ponds is financed entirely from these funds, so that the owner, who wants to give back a piece of nature, does not need to take any money into his own hands. One of the conditions is that the owners do not use the newly created waters for any private purposes. This includes that no fish may be used, because they predate amphibians and their larvae, but also water invertebrates. Further conditions are attached to the promotion - so the water must remain attractive for frogs and other amphibians for 15 years and must not develop unfavourably (no strong shading, no nutrient or pesticide input).

When frogs, newts and toads re-establish themselves, it is a sign that the ecosystem is functioning well at the site. Amphibians are a sensitive indicator of disturbance. The project "Frogland" not only helps frogs, but also starts at the most sensitive point of the ecosystem to do something profoundly positive for nature. Many other species benefit from the project, on the one hand directly through the ponds and indirectly through the amphibians - grass snakes and white stork, for example, feed mostly on frogs.
Since 2009, more than 200 ponds have been created or rebuilt as part of the project. Many of the ponds are already recolonised in the first years and used for spawning. Tree frogs often give their frog concert at a newly created pond in the first spring after installation. A little later, water frogs, moor frogs, grass frogs, toads, newts, and even red-bellied toads and garlic toads (spadefoot) follow suite!
The project was initiated by knik e.V. - an active association in nature conservation near Kiel (Raisdorf). At the beginning of 2014, the association was dissolved due to a lack of young talent and uptake, and the "Froschland" project found a new home in CABS as a new sponsor. CABS already owns large areas in Raisdorf, the founder of knik e.V. is today chairman of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and leader of the project "Froschland".
Further information can also be found at: www.froschland.de