As the construction of the new "Acropolis" near Vingis Park in Vilnius is to begin in 2023, the frogs that migrate to that area every spring are in danger, naturalists warn.
After the annual migration of amphibians, car traffic to the park is temporarily restricted, barriers, fences, and barriers are installed to prevent these animals from dying on the road.
Amphibians migrating in large groups freeze when they feel the vibrations of the road and many of them get caught under the wheels of cars.
As BNS explained Vilnius University Mantas Adomaitis, Ph.D. student of the Center for Life Sciences, in the territory of the planned shopping center there is a corridor for amphibians to pass from their wintering grounds by the Neris River to their spawning grounds on the other side of the road, in the southern part of Vingis Park near Geležinis vilkos street.
"There are such big puddles that don't dry out, where the frogs have very good spawning conditions. If this passage disappears, then the population of frogs will decrease significantly In Vingo Park", warned M. Adomaitis.
The executive director of the Lithuanian Nature Foundation, Edmundas Greimas, also claims that if amphibians are not protected, a large part of them would die when construction begins.
He added that barriers or fences usually won't help during construction.
"If there is such traffic as near the Acropolis, no living creature will have a chance to cross that road, because there will be too intense traffic and everyone will be crushed," said E. Greimas.
Suggested ways out
Naturalists say that amphibian migration is a unique phenomenon that only happens in very green cities.
"Acropolis Vingis" construction would radically change the infrastructure of the surrounding streets, the organization of traffic, the intersection of Gerojis Vilties and Geležinii Vilkas streets will be abolished.
A roundabout is planned in its place.
According to naturalists, it is important to somehow ensure a corridor through which the frogs can migrate during construction. Among the proposed solutions are diversion tunnels.
"Could it be some tunnels under the streets, or leave some area where there would be a free passage from the river to the side of Vingios Park," said M. Adomaitis.
E. Greimas would advise the designers of "Acropolis" to take care of not only the tunnels, but also the grooves and walls.
In his opinion, if the appropriate means to protect frogs are not installed in time and if these animals die on the roads, "something will still need to be done, but doing it later can be both more complicated and more expensive."
The naturalist warned that the death of frogs would become an extremely widely discussed topic in society, so he believes that designers should assess the impact of construction on the environment.
"Vingo Park is a particularly well-studied area", said E. Greimas.
Communicate with the municipality
As the construction of the shopping center approaches, the Lithuanian Nature Foundation says it will apply to the Vilnius City Municipality.
This, in turn, claims to take into account the assessments of naturalists.
"Taking into account the future construction of the Acropolis, we intend to additionally consult with the specialists of the Lithuanian Nature Foundation. We are open to observations and advice from other competent institutions, specialists, and park visitors," the municipality's response to BNS reads.
In the comment sent to BNS by Akropolis Group representative Dominykas Mertins, it is promised to take the necessary measures to protect amphibians and it is stated that an environmental impact assessment of the project will be carried out.
"Assessing the impact on the environment will also determine whether and what specific measures are needed to protect amphibians during their migration periods. We will cooperate and consult with VšĮ "Vilniaus Parkai" and representatives of the city municipality on this issue. If necessary, we will install measures recommended by specialists for the protection of amphibians," the comment reads.
The representative of "Akropolis Group" emphasized that the construction of the complex will not take place on the territory of Vingios Park itself.
According to D. Mertin, the construction machinery will enter the territory from the side of Eigulių Street, which is on the other side of Vingios Park.
Naturalists say that amphibians play an important role in ecosystems - they are both predators and themselves become food for birds, reptiles or fish.
Frogs play an important role in Vingios Park.
"If we are annoyed by various mosquitoes and flies, frogs are one of the main regulators of the amount of mosquitoes. Flies and mosquitoes are one of their main sources of food," said M. Adomaitis.
"If there were no frogs, those mosquitoes in Vingis Park would annoy us much more," he added.
Author Deividas Kubikis
