Naturlehrgebiet Buchwald, Amphibian spawning area of national importance in Ettiswil and Grosswangen, canton of Lucerne, Switzerland
The Naturlehrgebiet Buchwald is a protected area featuring ponds and deciduous forest spread across roughly 5 hectares. Multiple habitats here support frogs, newts, insects, and diverse plant communities in close proximity.
The site began as a gravel quarry but was transformed into a nature reserve starting in 1969. This conversion led to its recognition as an important amphibian protection area.
School groups come here to observe how plants and animals live in their natural surroundings. The site shows visitors how different habitats support each other within a small space.
The 5.04-hectare site lies on former gravel pits in Ettiswil and Grosswangen, with the Rot stream forming its northern boundary. Paths lead from the ponds through the ruderal gravel and sand area up to the beech wood in the south. The grounds are looked after by a site manager, so groups should announce visits in advance.
The yellow-bellied toad, listed as strongly endangered in Switzerland, has ponds built to its own needs: sparse vegetation that offers predators little cover. A statistical study of sightings from 2003 to 2012 showed these measures raise the species' survival rate. The once-introduced tree frog died out here in 2023.
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