The sun has disappeared behind the horizon and the single-digit temperatures are now making people shiver. But Anne Selle has equipped herself with a thick jacket and a high-visibility vest. The student shines her flashlight on a hedge at the side of the road. A few weeks ago, helpers erected an amphibian fence here in the Rabenstein district of Chemnitz to prevent the annual migration of newts, frogs and toads from coming to an abrupt end on the road. Now the 25-year-old is off to check the buckets dug into the fence.
Record number of volunteers in Chemnitz
This would not be possible without volunteers, emphasizes Jens Börner, Head of the Lower Nature Conservation Authority. In the past, the almost 20 sites in the city area were looked after by people doing community service. But with the end of compulsory military service, these helpers disappeared. Since then, the city has relied on volunteers - and has met with growing interest. More and more volunteers are getting involved in protecting the amphibians. This year there are 90 helpers, explains Börner. "That's a record. We've never had so many before."
Instead of spending the evening on the couch, Selle also prefers to help protect newts, toads and the like, armed with a flashlight, notepad and bucket. This is her second year. "I think the animals are really cute," she says, "I'm a frog fan." She read about the need for volunteers for these tasks on the streetcar. The helpers are instructed accordingly before their deployment. Their equipment includes gloves and disinfectant. This is to prevent the helpers from spreading pathogens that could be dangerous to the animals.
"Amphibian conservation in Saxony works above all thanks to the great volunteer commitment," explains Robert Beske, spokesperson for the nature conservation association Nabu in Saxony. Many teams have many years of experience and reliably take care of fence construction and daily checks. "Whole families, school classes, working people and pensioners work together. It's obviously fun to do something useful for animals together." In Leipzig, for example, there are also many volunteers who help to bring amphibians safely across roads and count them at 15 locations. "The groups usually organize themselves in an uncomplicated way via Messenger."
