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Ponds are constantly changing. Each year dead plants and animals
slowly build up and this changes how the pond behaves, which has
an impact on the species which can be expected to thrive...
Some species are extremely specific about the ponds in which
they can grow, and this can affect their distribution. In some
cases species can become extinct if certain ponds do not remain
in the landscape.
Second Life for Ponds aimed to investigate how wildlife reacts to
pond restoration and pond creation efforts. The project also
contributed to our national understanding of ponds and wetlands,
and how species react to human activities relating to pond
management.
The comprehensive approach will help inform the
regional and national Pond Habitat Action Plans (HAPs). The
project delivered two Pond HAP objectives: i) to maintain the
quality of flagship pond sites (such as Hampton Nature Reserve)
and ii) to create new pond habitats.
This breakthrough project (funded by SITA Trust's Enriching
Nature Programme) was carried out
at Hampton Nature Reserve, Peterborough; it began in October
2008 and ran for three years.
Second Life for Ponds aimed to deliver
the following
specific objectives:
To implement the restoration and creation of ponds for the
recolonisation of bearded stonewort Chara canescens on
Hampton Nature Reserve.
To monitor changes within the
important existing non-target taxa.
To evaluate four different pond
management techniques in terms of:
i) their effectiveness
for bearded stonewort C. canescens recolonisation.
ii) their side-effects on
the non-target taxa.
iii) their effect on
water and substrate chemistry, and how these correlate with
target and non-target taxa.
iv) the
cost-effectiveness of each restoration technique, considering
both bearded stonewort C. canescens
independently and the holistic effects of restoration on
non-target taxa.
To disseminate the results of the
project and encourage land managers to use proven evidence-based
conservation techniques on other sites
Bearded stonewort Chara canescens and other stoneworts
were chosen as indicator species for the project - this is
because most of the species within this group favour initial
stages of pond succession (up to a maximum of 15-25 years). The
success of pond restoration was judged against population
studies of other species including aquatic invertebrates, great
crested newts and water
voles.
The innovative techniques involved.
Key findings.
Conclusions and cost efficiency.
View and/or download the report, appendices, executive summary, invertebrate
report or factsheet.
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