The Yorkshire T.O.A.D team will be creating and restoring habitats to increase the value of the landscape for amphibians, reptiles and other wildlife. As well as creating, or restoring, ponds at various sites we will also be looking at the surrounding habitat. Our native reptiles, and amphibians use terrestrial habitat at different points during the year for refuge. Woodlands and scrub are important for hibernating toads for example, while wildflower meadows provide an excellent source of food.
Froglife commits to checking on the development of ponds after 1, 3, 5 and 10 years. Restoration of ponds is necessary for several reasons, such as surrounding tree growth preventing light reaching the pond or increased silt in the pond making it too shallow for breeding amphibians. Additional vegetation may be required at a later time too to further improve the biodiversity.
|
Habitat |
Location |
Task |
Date of planned works |
|
Glen Allotments |
York |
Creating two ponds onsite, one in the community area and another in a school plot. Several plot holders have also committed to building a pond on their plot after attending a Wildlife Garden Workshop. Building a hibernaculum also in the community area. |
September 2021 – hibernaculum
January 2022 – ponds |
|
Hemplands Allotments |
York |
Restoring the current pond as it has become overgrown and does not receive much sunlight. Pond was added 15 years ago following funding from the Esme Fairburn Foundation. Children from the allotment will also help creating a wildflower area, dead-hedge and building a hibernaculum. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Rowntree Country Park |
York |
Creation of a new pond and native planting in area. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Rawcliffe Country Park |
York |
Restoration of a pond that has become heavily vegetated with little open water. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Fishponds Wood Nature Reserve |
York |
Creation of a new pond |
To be confirmed. |
|
Chapmans Lake and Woodland |
York |
Restoration of a pond and creation of hibernacula to improve terrestrial habitat. Currently the pond is heavily shaded by trees with a build up of leaf litter, and has limited suitable vegetation for breeding amphibians. Another pond will also be built onsite to increase the connectivity. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Hawthorne Farm Park |
Leeds |
Restoration of five ponds which currently hold a lot of silt and have little natural light reaching them. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Farneley Hall Fish Pond |
Leeds |
Restoration of the current pond onsite with planting of additional native vegetation and the creation of another two ponds. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Dewsbury Country Park |
Dewsbury |
Restoration with several of the current ponds, one of which are heavily vegetated with little open water for breeding amphibians and other ponds regularly dry up before froglets and toadlets have emerged. All three ponds will be made deeper and the ditch cleared to increase connectivity and decrease the likelihood of the area becoming dry during the summer months. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Rectory Pond |
Dewsbury |
The creation of three ponds onsite and restoration of a ditch to improve the connectivity for wildlife. We will also create some winter refuge areas for wildlife such as hibernacula. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Alverthorpe Meadows |
Wakefield |
Creation of three ponds and hibernacula. Surrounding wet woodlands is great for the local toad population but there is a need to increase the potential breeding sites in the area. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Horbury Lagoons |
Wakefield |
Creation of several ponds to create a large wetland habitat. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Newmillardam Country Park |
Wakefield |
Pond restoration for the current historic dew pond onsite which has a lot of leaf litter and silt built up and suffers from lack of light. The pond will be extended and deepened to make it more suitable for breeding amphibians. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Walton Colliery Nature Park |
Wakefield |
Creation of three new ponds to create a large wetland area and support a diverse mosaic habitat, benefitting many species of amphibians that can also make use of the surrounding rough grassland and woodland for refuge. Restoration of the ditch will also improve habitat connectivity throughout the site. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Anglers Country Park |
Wakefield |
Restoration of the current pond onsite which is prone to drying up regularly and is too shallow to support breeding amphibians. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Notton Wood Nature Reserve |
Wakefield |
Restoration of the current pond which has silt and leaf litter building up. The new pond will be larger and deeper to improve the area for breeding amphibians. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Lambutts Pond |
Calderdale |
Increase the vegetation around the current pond to support breeding amphibians. |
To be confirmed. |
|
Boothroyd Academy |
Dewsbury |
Restoring and creating a second pond onsite. Children from the school will also be involved to help create a wildflower area. |
January 2022 |