As the earliest hints of spring appear across the UK, new life is taking root in a number of special ponds created by Froglife.
Studies of these new ponds will contribute to a Froglife project that will identify how plant and animal species react to different pond management techniques.
Over two years, the ‘Second Life for Ponds’ project (funded by SITA Trust) will investigate a number of pond management techniques and compare the effect this has on a range of wildlife species. The project will compare a selection of techniques for pond clearance: from ponds cleared mechanically with diggers, to ponds where swamp vegetation has been cleared out by fleets of hard-working volunteers.
Bearded Stonewort Chara canescens and other rare stoneworts have been chosen as indicator species for the project. Other species that will be surveyed include water beetles (and other aquatic invertebrates), water voles and Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus.
“Some species are very specific about the ponds in which they can flourish, and this can affect their distribution nationally,” said Francesca Barker, Froglife’s project officer. “In some cases species can become extinct locally if certain ponds do not remain in the landscape.”
It is hoped the project will contribute to wider research on the UK’s ponds and wetlands, being undertaken by a number of wildlife organisations.
Second Life for Ponds is being carried out at Hampton Nature Reserve in Peterborough. Froglife manages Hampton Nature Reserve on behalf of landowners O&H Hampton.
For more information and photos: www.froglife.org/projects/SecondLife.htm
14 January 2009
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1 comment:
Interesting news - I'll be looking forward to your results, especially the best practice guide. I have 5 ponds - one large one drained and re-shaped last autumn, one in an old slurry pit, one slowly being hand-cleared of leaves in my SSSI, another shallow wetland in a corner of a field, and the last, almost surrounded by brambles and used for landfill by a previous owner (now cleared out) is a project for another day - so hopefully I'll get some advice on how to do it!
Thanks for your post,
Maggie at Wheatland Farm, in Devon
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