TRITON Project: recover ponds and amphibians

Recover ponds and amphibians

A couple of decades ago, perhaps less, shallow ponds or small wetlands teeming with life were common on the outskirts of our villages or in the fields of cities. Reaching them was, in many cases, like an initiatory journey, a kind of small adventure that allowed us to believe that we were “older children @s”. We vividly remember those Aguarrales surrounded by reeds and full of frogs, tadpoles and toads. Along with them, the late nights of 'high spring, already approaching summer, offered a priceless gift: the intense croaking of the frogs mingling with the splash of water and the melody of the birds. Without a doubt, those of us who love nature spent some of the best moments of our childhood in those places. It is therefore urgent to recover ponds and amphibians.

Today, climate change, the proliferation of wells and water extractions, habitat changes and the expansion of urban planning have significantly reduced these ecosystems and, consequently, the amphibious fauna associated with them.

Triton Project

In the province of Huelva, a pilot project called 'has been launchedTriton' whose essential objective is to recover ponds and wetlands by creating them artificially to promote the presence of herpetofauna, improve the state of their populations, diversify the number of species present and raise awareness and involve the local population in their respect, enjoyment and conservation. In short, recover ponds and amphibians.

The project is carried out jointly between associations and public administrations. Local groups contribute the work of volunteers, municipalities provide land and machinery, if necessary, and finally the supramunicipal entities, the Environmental Delegation or the Provincial Council, grant grants for the purchase of material, perimeter fencing, installation of informational posters, payment of volunteer insurance, etc.

In this sense, once the local authority has provided a plot of land, volunteers dig a small pit about 50 cm deep and 12 m² which is waterproofed to prevent water seeping, then upholstered with stones from the land itself and finally closed with a perimeter fence to prevent possible damage due to the entry of cattle, wild dogs, natural predators, etc. Around the pond, trees or shrubs native to these ecosystems are planted and small caves are also created with piles of stone and clay tiles to create optimal habitats to be occupied by amphibians and reptiles.

The pond must be shallow to guarantee its seasonal character, filling up with winter rains and thus allowing good conditions for the reproduction of amphibians during spring.

Finally, and thanks to the collaboration of educational centers and Environmental Agents, the program also has several talks-workshops associated with local schoolchildren, in order to sensitize them to the importance of amphibians, their beneficial role as major consumers of insects and indicators of environmental quality, as well as the fragility of wetlands and their essential role as ecosystems that diversify the landscape and generate sources of wildlife.

Tritón is, in short, a project for the recovery of local biodiversity, with the intention of recovering degraded environments and returning them to citizens full of life, so that people once again have the opportunity to feel and experience nature intensely: its sounds, smells and colors. Although perhaps, in the end, we are doing it simply, to recover part of our childhood.