Puddles

Until the 1950s, puddles were invaluable elements of the countryside in southern Limburg. They were necessary to water the cattle (cows and so-called 'Mergelland' sheep). These puddles were dug and subsequently made waterproof by driving horses along which stamped the clay for the duration of a day, which resulted in a watertight soil.

Often at the southern end willow, hawthorn, alder or pollard ash were planted to provide shade and coolness for the cattle and to prevent the water from evaporating too quickly in the heat of the summer. Naturally, other animals also took advantage of these puddles: all kinds of toads, frogs and salamanders depend on puddles for their reproduction. The best-known of these are the Midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) and the Yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata).

Starting in the 1950s, most puddles have been replaced by concrete water troughs connected to water pipes: disastrous for the frogs, toads, salamanders and insects which depended on the water of puddles. But also the Brown - and the Green Frog, the Common Toad and Natterjack (Bufo calamita) used the puddles, as did the Palmete newt, the Alpine newt, the Warty newt and the Smooth newt. Since 1980 a large number of puddles have been constructed. The Herpetological study group of the Natuurhistorisch Genootschap is the principal initiator of the restoration of these puddles.

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