Copenhagen politicians were set to decide Tuesday whether Metroselskabet may relocate protected green toads and damage their breeding and resting sites to make way for the M5 metro line.
DR reports that the capital’s next metro line, M5, is planned to run from Copenhagen Central Station across Amager and end at the coming Lynetteholm district. The route passes through an area where the green toad has been recorded. City politicians were due to take a position on the matter on September 22.
According to DR, Metroselskabet has applied to the municipality for permission to move the toads. The application also seeks permission to damage or destroy the animals’ breeding and resting areas. The green toad is a threatened species and strictly protected in both Denmark and the EU.
The plans have drawn criticism from Danmarks Naturfredningsforening. Knud Erik Hansen, the association’s chair in Copenhagen, said the toad and its habitat should be left in peace. He described Prøvestenen Syd as possibly the last site in northern Amager where the species remains.
Metroselskabet searched for the toads in the area in the spring without finding any. The company concluded that the toads are not in the construction zone, but acknowledged they could migrate in once excavation begins. Hansen said listening for the animals over two evenings is not a thorough enough basis for that conclusion.
Metroselskabet points to new habitats
In a written response to DR, Metroselskabet said the aim is to avoid worsening the local breeding and resting areas or the ecological functionality for the species. The company said that is the purpose of both the mitigation measures and the application itself.
A core element of the application, per Metroselskabet, is permanent added value for the green toad. That would come through permanent and well designed habitats, with the species moved to those sites.
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Jakob Næsager, children and youth mayor and leader of the Conservatives in Copenhagen’s city council, backed the approach. He said securing permission now is due diligence, so that work is not paralyzed if a toad is encountered and metro construction does not come to a halt.
DR was unable to obtain a comment from technical and environmental mayor Line Barfod of Enhedslisten. She referred instead to Mikkel Skovgaard of the same party, group chair and a member of the finance committee.
Skovgaard said development of Copenhagen must happen with the greatest possible respect for nature and for the animals living in the city. He said there must be certainty that the green toad and other wildlife are properly protected if metro construction affects breeding sites.
He added that important questions remain unanswered. For that reason, the party is for now agreeing to send the proposal out for public consultation, so responses and further information are available before a final decision.
The first stage of the M5 line is scheduled to open in 2036, according to DR. The line is planned to link the central station with Amager and Lynetteholm.
