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Two toads in Hamburg: almost half a million euros for four toad tunnels
Photo: Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa
There is trouble in Hamburg's posh Blankenese district because of a new amphibian guidance system. The Altona district office had toad tunnels built on the Falkensteiner Ufer, where the Elbe gently nips at the sandy beach. A total of four tunnels so that toads, newts and frogs can safely hop under the road and not get hit flat. In this case, species protection was very expensive for the district: the tunnels cost a total of 465,848.56 euros.
The nature conservation association Nabu counted the common toads between 2018 and 2021 and found that the population fell from 1,002 to 616 animals. Things were even worse with the pond newts, where the population shrank from ten to one animal. Alpine newts, grass frogs, pond frogs and small water frogs that are on the red list have also been spotted in isolated cases. The district office estimated the duration of the toad migrations to be several months.
Almost half a million euros for a few hundred bucks – is that reasonable?
Basis for the tunnels: a traffic count from 2013
The taxpayers' association, which watches over wasted state funds, thinks: no. "Basically, we are checking whether this measure is a case for the new black book," said the state chairwoman of the Taxpayers' Association, Petra Ackmann, on Wednesday. She has doubts that the tunnels are necessary. The toads do not have to pass particularly dangerous routes: these are bicycle roads that motorized local traffic can also use; there are no current traffic volume figures.
In a report from March 2022, the Altona district justified the need for the tunnels with a ten-year-old traffic count: A cross-sectional count in April 2013 revealed around 300 vehicles per day, and heavy goods traffic accounted for two percent. The report pointed out that a barrier is closed during the amphibians' migration period and that traffic is then even lower, but it still came to the conclusion - like the environmental agency - that the toads need these tunnels.
A total of four amphibian tunnels and 410-meter-long amphibious barriers made of concrete or steel were built last year so that toads, frogs and newts can reach their spawning waters safely. This was originally supposed to cost 200,000 euros, but then the tree protection became more expensive and additional railings were needed to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from falling off the road. In the end we ended up with just under 466,000 euros. The head of the Altona district office, Stefanie von Berg (Greens), says: "It's worth it to us and personally to me."
The FDP finds the tunnels scandalous - but agreed to higher costs
Now there's a lot of chatter. The local press reports and the FDP also rages: "With all due respect for species protection - the prioritization of the two green-led authorities at the state and district level is simply scandalous," said Hamburg's FDP deputy Katarina Blume. The carelessness with which the administration uses tax revenue from the people of Hamburg to set party political priorities is disconcerting. »How far can you actually overshoot the target if you don't have to pay for it yourself?«
Blume fails to mention that the doubling of costs to 420,000 euros had been expected for some time. It was passed unanimously in the responsible committee. Two votes came from the FDP. Twice as many as Nabu counted newts. Now the toads are gone. Why, surely!
has/dpa