Thanks to Jo from The Forestry Commission for this interesting contribution, in her own words. Ed
The Forestry Commission and the Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has created 30 new clean water ponds in forests across the Island as part of the Million Ponds Project, co-ordinated by wildlife charity Pond Conservation. The new ponds will support a wide range of wildlife including the European protected great crested newt, a flagship species for the Island’s ponds and wetlands.
The ponds have been constructed in a variety of habitats including woodland, downland and recently restored blocks of heathland across Parkhurst Forest.
Variety of species to benefit
Jay Doyle, ecologist for the Forestry Commission, said: “In time as the ponds re-vegetate a variety of UK priority species stand to benefit not least the great crested newt. We are proud to be playing a leading role in securing its future at a number of locations across the Island.”
The ponds being created by the Forestry Commission not only help to provide enhanced priority habitat for wildlife but also help with forest landscape adaptation to climate changes. The new ponds help to protect wildlife from the predicted increase in frequency and intensity of summer droughts and also provide flood alleviation during wetter months.
Four year programme
Creation of the new ponds is part of a four-year programme co-financed by Biffaward, involving a range of partners and conservation organisations such as the Wildlife Trust and Plantlife among others.
Dr Pascale Nicolet, Pond Conservation’s National Co-ordinator for the Million Ponds Project, said: “These large pond complexes in forests provide some of the most valuable clean water habitats in the country. Making new clean water ponds is one of the best ways of quickly and cost effectively improving the freshwater resource.”
Collectively, ponds support a wider range of freshwater plants and animals than either rivers or lakes. The Million Ponds Project aims to reverse the long-term decline by putting back new ponds in parts of the landscape, such as forests, where they won’t be exposed to pollutants or
disturbance in the long term.
