1. Background
In the Environment Agency press release of 25th July, we stated:
Some of Britain’s most oddly named and endangered species are slowly returning to the countryside thanks to Environment Agency efforts to create new ponds.
The Toothed Threadwort, Tadpole Shrimp and One-grooved Diving Beetle may sound like they belong in a cauldron, but they are in fact just some of the 80 protected or endangered species that rely on freshwater ponds for their survival.
Over the past century over half of Britain’s ponds have disappeared, from over one million at the start of the 20th century to less than 500,000 today. As a consequence rare species of amphibians, water snails, aquatic insects and plants are in danger of dying out.
As part of an ambitious project to begin replacing all 500,000 of Britain’s lost ponds, the Environment Agency has this year created 184 ponds and restored a further 50 that were in poor condition. These newly-created ponds have become home to rare species such as Water Vole, Great Crested Newt and Natterjack Toad and the Environment Agency hopes that many more rare species will return as more ponds are created.
No further information was provided to the BBC on this story, and no additional data was requested.
The general statements in our press release were based on various factors, including:
- The established premise in scientific literature that ponds are very good for wildlife eg Williams, Whitfield and Biggs Hydrobiologia (2008) 597:137–148“Ponds are an important freshwater habitat in Britain. They are species-rich, supporting populations of at least two-thirds of Britain’s freshwater plant andanimal species (Williams et al., 1999) and, in terms of both species richness and rarity, the biodiversity of ponds appears to compare well with that of otherfreshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, rivers, streams and ditches (Godreau et al., 1999; Williams et al., 2004; Davies, 2005).”
The widespread knowledge that ponds are very good for wildlife eg as Alan Titchmarsh is quoted as saying on the Pond Conservation website: “I wholeheartedly support the visionary Million Ponds Project which will make a real difference to the British countryside and will help to protect many of our most endangered plants and animals. With this money thousands of wildlife rich ponds across England and Wales will be created.”
Evidence from some of the many hundreds of ponds that the Environment Agency has created in recent years, that a huge variety of wildlife, including protected species such as Great-Crested Newts very quickly colonise new ponds.
2. Evidence of the wildlife value of the ponds created in 2009/10
- CarnonValley Restoration in Cornwall – 10 ponds created - the following have been recorded during site visits since the works finished: Common Frog, Common Toad, Palmate Newt, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly, Emerald Damselfly, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, Golden Ringed Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser and Emperor Dragonfly. The Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly is nationally rare and this site is probably the best site for it in Cornwall.
- Stepping Stones and PIPP Project in Dorest – several ponds created oneof which was funded by the Agency – expected to be colonised by the following rare species which were found in a 2009 survey of ponds in the immediatearea by the Dorset Wildlife Trust - several Red Data Book water beetle species, Lesser Water Plantain, Pillwort, Great Crested Newt, Medicinal Leech, Southern Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly,Downy Emerald Dragonfly.
- Pondscapes Project in NE England– many ponds created in recent years including 2 ponds in 09/10 – some of which are known to have benefited Great Crested Newts – found for example in one of the new ponds at Billingham according to Northumbrian Water who monitor the site.
- Burstwick in East Yorks- a pond was created as part of a flood alleviation scheme in line with the planning conditions to mitigate for the loss of a short section of water vole habitat along a ditch. This has not been surveyed yet, but there is anecdotal evidence that water voles have used this pond.
- Point of Ayr Shore Tip project in North Wales – Natterjack Toad tadpoles have been translocated into the ponds we have created.
- A restored pond at Bodoryn in North Wales – already colonised by water voles since its restoration from a dry condition last year.
Thus we can substantiate the statement in our own pressrelease that “Wildlife including water voles, natterjack toads and great crested newts have all been spotted in the new ponds”
3. Conclusion
- We know that ponds are great for wildlife and in creating these ponds in the right places using the right techniques we are have every confidence that a wide range of species will colonise them – some more so than others, due to water quality, absence of fish, etc.
- Based on past evidence and the fact that we are creating some of these ponds close to where rare and protected species are found, we are also very confident that some of those rare and/or protected species will colonise some of the ponds.
- Observational evidence from our own staff and those of partner organisations has confirmed that rare and/or protected species have already been seen in some of these ponds.