In 2015, a new habitat for the wall lizard and slow worm was brought into use at the Belvédèreberg, a hill in the city of Maastricht. The habitat is part of a larger set of nature compensation measures taken in connection with the construction of the new infrastructure project ‘Noorderbrugtracé’. With the construction of a large green framework with new corridors, the ecological structure of the Belvédère district is improved and enlarged. As a result of the Noorderbrug bridge new exit ramp, a park will be created on the northern side of the city centre. The new park will feature the old fortifications (Lage Fronten), and the old link to the Hoge Fronten fortifications will also be restored. Both people and animals can use the canal that will link these old fortifications. Throughout the Belvédère district, numerous provisions have been made for the animals living in the area. Rubble ridges were created for the wall lizard, for example, and dead hedges for the slow worm, pools for the natterjack toad, plus underpasses and tunnels for lizards, slow worms and badgers. For the bats a special bat house is built in the Lage Fronten park. At the locations where new infrastructure will be constructed, wall lizards and slow worms are captured and then moved to the newly created habitats. Up till now, around 650 slow worms and 120 wall lizards have thus been brought to the Belvédèreberg.
-Maastricht (NL) 2015
-ARCADIS
more info: brochure: Het Groene Belvédère