The Pond Creation Toolkit for Aggregate Sites provides advice on all aspects of pond creation. The focus is on pond creation as part of the restoration of aggregate extraction sites, but much of the information produced will be of use to a range of professionals and the public.
Download the complete tool kit here (32 pages)
The factsheets are also available to download seperately as low resolution pdfs:
1. Why make new ponds for wildlife?
Creating ponds is one of the best ways to benefit wetland wildlife. Making new ponds is often better than managing existing ponds because new ponds have a unique advantage: they can be located in places where it is easy to keep the water clean.
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2. Ponds - A Priority Habitat: best practice guidance for development control planning officers
In 2007, ponds were added to the list of priority habitats in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). Biodiversity, including priority habitats, is a material consideration in planning, and local authorities have a duty to ensure that the potential impacts of all planning decisions on biodiversity are fully considered.
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3. Making new ponds for wildlife
Ponds can be one of the easiest and most rewarding habitats to create. The three key principles of pond creation are:
1. Clean water
2. A varied design
3. Proximity to other wetlands or freshwater habitats
Combine any two of these factors and a new pond site is likely to become rich in wildlife. Combine all three and the new pond site should develop an outstanding plant and animal community.
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4. Pond creation on aggregate extraction sites: best practice design principles for biodiversity
Opportunities for pond creation on aggregate sites are often overlooked. The usual reason is just that no one had thought of it early enough in the planning process, if at all. Ponds are so small that they are dwarfed next to the large landforms that are the main focus of restoration plans, but ignoring them is a missed opportunity.
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5. Pond creation: good practice on aggregate sites
Ponds are easy to make on aggregate extraction sites and, using a few simple principles, give quick wins for biodiversity.
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6. Creating gravel pit ponds and lakes for stoneworts
Stoneworts are a very ancient group of aquatic plants. Unfortunately many species are now rare, mainly because of water pollution. Gravel pit lakes and ponds are valuable habitats for stoneworts. Around half of our 28 native stonewort species are found in these waters.
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7. Pond creation for water voles
Water voles have suffered a catastrophic decline in Britain over the last few decades. Changes in land use and management have resulted in loss and fragmentation of water vole habitat which has led to the loss of colonies, isolation of remaining populations and an increased vulnerability to predators, in particular American mink.
This sheet was created with the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust BBOWT.
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This picture shows pond creation as part of the restoration of Standlake Nature Reserve following gravel extraction. After a few years, even a small pond such as this (12x10 meters), can be rich in wildlife including species not found in the adjacent lake.
Read more about the work on ponds on an aggregates extraction site in the Lower Windrush Valley.
