1. BUILDING AN ECODUCT IN AN AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
A challenge for people and animals
Katja Claus
Flemish Government
Environment, Nature & Energy Department

2. Ecoducts in Flanders

3. Ecoducts in Flanders – where?
All near borders: with the Netherlands, Walloon Region
Connecting natural / special protection areas (heathland, forests)
1 exception: ecoduct De Munt
© Yves Adams
© Omgeving

4. Ecoduct De Munt – why on that location?
High Speed Train
100 m

5. Ecoduct De Munt – why on that location?
Studies & permits
Study on route location (1995) & Environmental Impact Assessment (1998) for High Speed Train
Defragmentation study (2000) for E19
Planning permission (2000) !!
Ecoduct De Munt
Multi-use overpass Peerdsbos
Defragmentation zones

6. Ecoduct De Munt – building together!
The result
Ecoduct width 60 m, length 100 m, next to existing road
Financed by Road Administration & by Railway Company

7. Ecoduct De Munt – local opposition!
Questions asked
Location? cost!
Sense/nonsense?
Use by animals?
Other social/economical needs!
Concern about expropriation
Gathering local support
Communication campaign: information sessions, public participation
Working group involving all local authorities
Accompanied by regional association!!

8. Ecoduct De Munt – used by animals?
Research design
T0 (2008) – T1 (2012) – T3 (2014)
Target species: Roe deer, European polecat, European hare, grassland birds
Various techniques: cameras, sand beds, ink pads, ‘reptile’ plates, live traps, automatic bat detectors, pitfalls, insect tents, dip nets, visual sightings
Amphibians, “large” and small mammals including bats, birds, invertebrates, other users…
Ecoduct + vicinity
Roe Deer
European Polecat
European Hare
Grassland Birds

9. Ecoduct De Munt – used by animals?
Results
All target species regularly use ecoduct
24 (23 on ecoduct) species of mammals (incl. 5 bats)!!
Frequency animal passage increased / frequency human ‘use’ decreased
Crossing, (temporal) habitat, breeding, foraging
Structures leading animals in the right direction
Roe Deer
European Hare
Red Fox
European Hedgehog
Long-eared Owl
European Polecat

10. Ecoduct De Munt – used by animals?
group
number of species on ecoduct
number of species in hinterland
total number of species
mammals bats 18 5 19
birds 72
amphibians 2 4
ground beetles 25 37 42
spiders 15 20
hoverflies 17 14 22
butterflies 8 13
dragonflies 10
grasshoppers

11. estimate of passages per day (sand bed + camera trap)
Ecoduct De Munt – used by animals?
species
estimate of passages per day (sand bed + camera trap)
European hare
3,0 - 4,0
House cat (reference)
0,5 - 2,5
Roe deer
European rabbit
0,5 - 1,5
Red fox
0,25 - 0,75
European polecat
European hedgehog
0,1 - 0,2

12. Ecoduct De Munt – landscape fitting: in theory

13. Ecoduct De Munt – landscape fitting: in practice
Redesign ‘extra’ agricultural land
Optimal integration of ecoduct into surrounding landscape
Leading fauna towards ecoduct
Creation of extra habitat
Creation of wet zone
Building a cellar for wintering bats

14. Ecoduct De Munt – landscape fitting: the result
© Maarten Pluym
January 2016

15. Ecoduct De Munt – lessons learnt
Attention points
Involve local people from the very beginning
Pay attention to good communication + correct information
Develop trust, listen well, be honest
Make people participate in local actions
Show results
Opening picnic area with cartoon characters
Public event 2016
Planting trees with local people

16. BUILDING AN ECODUCT IN AN AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
literally and figuratively means building bridges!
THANK YOU