Langford Court Farm

Features from Wildlife magazine Wildlife articles 2008 -- Spring 2008 -- ::Severn Barrage ::The Variety of life ::A year at Willsbridge ::Willsbridge comes of age ::Reaching out - Willsbridge ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2007 -- Autumn 2007 -- ::Thinking BIG ::Watery webs:the pond network ::Wildlife in the landscape ::Variety of life ::How to be a climate friend ::Seasonal stroll - Walborough ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2007 -- ::The Folly Farm appeal ::Weston Big Wood-biodiversity at its best ::The variety of life ::How to capture a butterfly ::How to get to know an orchid ::Seasonal stroll - WestonBigWood ::Reserves update -- Spring 2007 -- ::Folly Farm - a very special place ::Making a difference at Folly Farm ::How find the magic at Folly Farm ::Seasonal stroll at Folly Farm ::Magic spots at Folly Farm ::Batscapes ::Climate challenge ::Variety of Life - the Ponways project ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2006 -- Autumn 2006 -- ::The Severn Estuary ::Bird Watch results ::How to identify garden birds ::Making space for wildlife ::How does your garden grow? ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2006 -- ::Going for green ::Stand up and be counted ::Happy birthday NSLMP ::Holi day - a riot of spring colour ::Avon's species-rich grassland ::How to photograph dragonflies ::The Big Switch ::Round the reserves -- Spring 2006 -- ::How to identify winter water birds ::Make 2006 the year you... ::Invasive invasion ::Sowing the seeds: Willsbridge Mill ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2005 -- Autumn 2005 -- ::Indentify common funghi ::Build a hedgehog hideaway ::Big Bird Watch ::Champions for wildlife ::Round the reserves ::Seeds of the futre: Willsbridge Mill -- Summer 2005 -- ::Restoring Folly Farm ::How to become bee-friendly ::How to identify the butterflies of spring ::Save our seas ::The variety of life: hedgerows ::Round the reserves ::25 Ways to make a difference -- Spring 2005 -- ::The variety of life: water voles ::The Avon Biodiversity Action Plan ::How to take really good wildlife photos ::How to help your garden grow ::Round the reserves ::Seasonal strolls: Browns Folly ::Sowing the seeds: for wildlife for people ::Sowing the seeds: looking back

Living Landscapes

Watery webs

The pond network

Healthy hedgerows and wonderful woodlands easily conjure up landscape-scale green corridors, but where do ponds fit into this picture and what benefit do they have for our wildlife?

Ponds are, in fact, an extremely important habitat for UK wildlife and are used by around two-thirds of the UK’s plant and invertebrate species. Sadly, however, thousands of ponds have been lost over the past 100 years due to man’s impact and most of those that remain have been long neglected. Most ponds are man-made and will have had an historic use, such as a farm pond or a dew pond, which is now no longer required. Other reasons for pond loss include agricultural intensification and deliberate filling in, whilst more modern threats include pollution, overstocking by fish and wildfowl, and introduction of invasive non-native species.

Cluster closer
The land surrounding a pond is also crucial for wildlife. This is particularly true in the case of our most strictly protected amphibian, the great crested newt which has declined significantly over recent decades. As an amphibian the great crested newt relies on ponds and land habitat to complete its lifecycle – good quality ponds for breeding, and suitable adjacent land habitat (such as hedgerows, woodland and scrub) linking ponds for dispersal, feeding and hibernation. Great crested newts need a ‘network’ or ‘cluster’ of ponds and this is where the landscape-scale concept comes in.

Isolation and extinction
If there is only one pond in an area where great crested newts breed the whole population is vulnerable if something happens to that pond. If an isolated pond is destroyed, the whole population will face extinction. If a pond dries out early in some years, before great crested newt larvae can complete their metamorphosis into adults, this means that the next generation of newts cannot boost the local population during that year. If this happens regularly the population again faces extinction.

Life line
If, however, there are several breeding ponds linked together by overgrown hedgerows and one pond is damaged, there is still likely to be successful breeding in another, and the great crested newt population will survive because there will be several linked ‘sub-populations’. If bad times befall one population great crested newts from nearby can fill the gap that is left. It also helps to ensure a healthy gene pool with occasional migration between populations.

Adapting to change
In reality, wherever a pond is, even on a nature reserve, there is always the risk of something happening to it. As we face up to the challenges posed by climate change in which we can expect to see patterns of rainfall change, that risk is even greater. If our wildlife, including great crested newts, are to adapt it is vital that ponds and other important habitat areas are not managed individually and in isolation from the rest of the landscape.

The Avon Biodiversity Partnership Pondways Project, which is led by the Trust, is trying to learn more of the status of our ponds and to look at their historical significance, as well as survey them for great crested newt and general pool quality. It is currently on track to survey 100 ponds in 2007.

The project is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Wessex Water and Bristol Water.

For further information contact Lydia Robbins, Pondways Project Officer, on 0117 9177270 or email lydiarobbins@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

You can help!

Build a wildlife pond

Garden ponds are becoming increasingly important for our wildlife as those in the wider countryside are lost and degraded. Building a pond can be a very rewarding experience as you literally see wildlife arrive – even within an hour of creation!

Any size you create can bring huge benefit – even a small pond will provide a place for amphibians and dragonflies to live and breed, birds to bathe, and creatures such as butterflies and hedgehogs to drink.

Do:

• line your pond with butyl liner, this will help to hold water and sustain wildlife all year. Start when the ground is wet, ideally in winter

• have at least some part with a natural gradual edge – very important as it allows pond wildlife such as frogs, bathing birds and creatures coming to drink to get in and out, and avoids the danger of falling in. It also provides a variety of water depth and conditions for a range of different plants which will encourage more wildlife

• allow some plants to colonise naturally if possible, but if you want to add some in spring/early summer, make sure they are native species (see below) and avoid non-native or invasive species

• leave some long/rough grassland around the pond and other patches in your garden instead of mowing to the edge. This will become rich in invertebrates and provide much needed food for frogs, toads and newts

• create some piles of logs/stones in your garden which will be a refuge and place to hibernate for amphibians plus lots of other creatures

• make sure your pond is safe if you have small children.

Don’t:

• add fish if you want a wildlife pond – this is very important! Fish reduce the water quality and creatures such as the great crested newt will actively avoid such ponds

• put the pond where it is too shaded so plants can’t grow and leaves fall in and silt up facing south or west is best

• encourage waterfowl, too many on a small pond can make it polluted and destroy vegetation and they can also prey on amphibians

• clean your pond out during spring and summer – clear vegetation between November – January. Note that male frogs actually hibernate at the bottom of ponds in the mud

• have a fountain or circulate the water.