"Abysses" in the protection of species in Regensburg: Dozens of animals disappeared - conservationists criticize the city

Created: 01/10/2022, 13:53

A sensitive and protected reptile: the sand lizard becomes a point of contention between the city and nature conservationists.

© Marek Szczepankek

Is Regensburg negligent in protecting species when it comes to building projects?

This is what nature conservationists criticize after researching the sand lizard.

Dozens of animals disappeared after resettlement, presumably dead.

Members of the Association for Nature Conservation Regensburg * have pored over files for over a hundred hours in the past few months.

Research and research have been carried out on a voluntary basis.

“This has opened up abysses,” says chairman Raimund Schoberer.

It's about the sand lizard.

Sand lizard: important pointer animal for environmental conditions

The reptile, which is up to 24 centimeters long, is considered endangered - and as an indicator of how things are going in a certain area.

As a so-called pointer animal, the sand lizard was also a topic in connection with the planned gigafactory of the electric car manufacturer Tesla in Brandenburg.

“The sand lizard is representative of many other species,” says Schoberer about the meaning of the tiny thing.

A species-rich habitat prevails where the more demanding animals are found.

The reptile is therefore protected accordingly by the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

"There are very clear legal requirements as to what has to be checked in a building project, for example," explains Dr.

Christine Margraf, species protection officer of the Federation of Nature Conservation in Bavaria.

"The strict protection after exception checks can only be overcome under very specific conditions."

Protection of the sand lizard: "Clear legal violations" in building projects in Regensburg

In Regensburg, according to the nature conservationists, dozens of the protected animals disappeared without a trace in the course of various construction projects, and probably perished. And the research that Schoberer and his colleagues present suggest that the city of Regensburg is not entirely innocent of this. Here, the legal requirements are dealt with very negligently. The Federation of Nature Conservation speaks of “clear legal violations”. The city has been asked to take action.

Background: In 2007, the entire urban area was re-mapped by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU) - cost: 60,000 euros.

Several hectares were recorded as protected biotope areas.

Important habitats for all kinds of small animals.

And according to this mapping, the sand lizard felt quite comfortable in the district capital of the Upper Palatinate.

But many of the officially mapped biotopes do not appear at all in the city plans and maps, says Schoberer.

Many city councils are therefore not even aware of their existence.

Biodiversity: The city of Regensburg does not live up to its own standards

In 2012 Regensburg was a founding member of the “Communities for Biodiversity” alliance. The declared goal: to preserve and strengthen biodiversity. An important undertaking, emphasizes the conservation officer Margraf. “Nature in the city is not only valuable for the animal species.” In times of the climate crisis, it is becoming increasingly clear what value biotopes, fresh air corridors and local recreation areas have.

The municipalities have a crucial role to play here, says Margraf.

Especially with a view to the conflicts in land use.

In addition to the intensification of agriculture, the ongoing sealing of urban areas for industry and living space is a key reason for the decline in species.

But the city does not live up to the stated claim.

Instead, habitats are being destroyed and species are not being adequately protected.

After resettlement in Regensburg: All sand lizards have disappeared

The conservationists list several negative examples. Around twelve hectares of biotopes have been lost in recent years. To the west of the old town, along the railroad tracks, 7.6 hectares of living space were built over with the new Dörnberg district. All that was left was a small strip at the western end. At that time, a handful of sand lizards were caught on site.

The Confederation of Nature Conservation is convinced that significantly more animals would probably have lived there. After relocating to a significantly smaller compensation area at Gleisdreieck in the east of the city, none of the animals survived, as a review a year later shows. Part of the compensation area has meanwhile also become a rubble site. Instead of seeking expertise and making the resettlement at least professional and appropriate to the species, the city acted negligently.

Something similar happened with the construction of the new Kreuzschule on the site of the former Jahn Stadium.

There was also a small biotope here.

113 sand lizards were collected before construction began.

Some were resettled not far from their former home near an allotment garden.

In the meantime, some of the areas are only meadows.

At one point there was even a small playground.

The biotopes disappeared in the course of building projects and with them the lizards.

"Survival rate zero."

Sand lizard: conservationists proclaim the year of biodiversity

The conservationists do not question the need for school and residential buildings.

However, species protection must also be taken into account.

In view of the findings from the files, the BN now wants to be even more vigilant.

The year 2022 will therefore not only be celebrated as the anniversary year for the 50th anniversary of the Bund Naturschutz, but also as a year of action for the preservation of biodiversity, promises Schoberer.

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