The crested newt is a rare and endangered amphibian in many of the Baltic Sea countries. In order to protect this species, Estonian, Finnish and Danish herpetologists launched a LIFE-Nature project "Protection of Triturus Cristatus in the Eastern Baltic Region". The aim of the 4-year project was to ensure favourable conditions for the crested newt, i.e. to create conditions for the preservation of the species as viable populations in all three countries participating in the project. In addition to the crested newt, the living conditions of the common spadefoot, another rare amphibian species, were improved. "During the project, we restored these small water bodies that were suitable for the crested newt and the common spadefoot," Voldemar Rannap, Adviser of the Nature Conservation Department of the Ministry of the Environment, said. By summer 2008, 69% of the water bodies restored or established during the project were inhabited by the crested newt and 16% by the common spadefoot. Another positive aspect is that, besides these two target species, other amphibians benefited from the project too. Namely, the occurrence of amphibians in the restored ponds has increased in four years.
The activities of the project were carried out in 19 areas belonging to the Natura 2000 Network in three countries. In Estonia, 12 areas in South-West and Western Estonia with a total area of 40,262 ha were chosen, which covered 80% of all habitats of the crested newt as well as the common spadefoot known at the beginning of the project. The largest project areas were the nature parks of Haanja and Otepää.
The project was lead by the Ministry of the Environment in partnership with the State Nature Conservation Centre, Haanja and Rõuge rural municipalities, North Karelia Regional Environment Centre in Finland and Aarhus Environmental Centre in Denmark. Võru and Põlva County environmental services and Amphi Consult, a private company engaged in the protection of amphibians in Denmark, were also included in the project. In addition, there was cooperation with Latvian and Lithuanian experts in the field of amphibians.
The value of the project was 11.5 million Estonian kroons. Half of the sum was financed from the European Union's LIFE Fund, the other half being the participants' own contribution. The project was also partly supported by the foundation Environmental Investment Centre.
Additional information: (10/03/2009) |
