In Seine-Maritime, they help toads cross the roads

See my news
Follow Le Réveil de Neufchâtel

Did you know that toads are a protected species? But she is also threatened with extinction.

It is for this reason that the Muchedent au Naturel association, near Saint-Hellier, in Seine-Maritimeinstalled every year since 2023 systems to facilitate the crossing of roads by toads, called toads, and any other amphibians.

Three toads in Saint-Hellier

It was in Muchedent that they made their first test with the association's equipment, but they would like to install three in Saint-Hellier.

We moved nearly 200 toads across by hand in twenty minutes.

“We realized that there was a real need at this location,” explains Bruno Veron, president of the association.

The first would be on the Dieppe road, 300 linear meters along the roadside hedge, opposite the oil mill.

For the second, not far from there, rue de la Fresnaye, the association wishes to use the already existing sewer grates. “The holes in the grids are currently too small for the toads to pass through, but you just have to change them because the passage to the water points is already there,” explains Bruno Veron.

Finally, the third would be installed closer to the town center, at the start of the valley road, towards Saint-Hellier.

It could be that the association also installs a toad in Saint-Saëns, on the road opposite the golf course, after receiving requests from local residents.

Daily involvement

For the moment, the association installs the toadstools with its own equipment: tarpaulins held by wooden stakes, with buckets, planted in the ground. “When faced with an obstacle, toads try to get around it. With this system, they walk along the tarpaulins until they fall into the buckets, with holes so that they don't drown, and every day we take the buckets to take them across», Describes Hélène Veron, secretary and treasurer of Muchedent au naturel.

Indeed, between the months of February and March, toads end their hibernation. They then leave the woods to head towards the watering holes.

A massive migration, crossed by roads.

You have to get the toads across every day, it’s an investment.

But after installing the toadstools, which takes two full days, daily work is necessary.

“Every morning we take the toads across, but there have to be many of them to rotate through the day and especially the different toads,” describes Bruno Veron. This is why it is necessary to have volunteers if we install several in 2025.”

Protect nature

To reduce this time investment, the association launched a fundraiser on the heritage foundation site in order to build three perennial toadstools in Saint-Hellier, and two others in Muchedent. In total, the estimate amounts to €30,000.

We are the ones who built on their land, not the other way around.

Added to this is the renewal of authorizations to install structures alongside roads, but also to be able to move animals, especially when they are protected.

But beyond reducing the number of mosquitoes in summer, whose larvae are very appreciated by amphibians, Bruno and Hélène want to respect biodiversity.

“If we let nature do its thing a little, it allows it to balance itself,” describes Bruno Veron. They were here before us, and we need them. »

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.