In phase I of the Million Ponds Project we will create a network of 5000 new high quality ponds in England and Wales to bring a significant and lasting increase in freshwater biodiversity and water quality across UK landscapes.
The project will
* make 5000 new ponds in England and Wales providing, by 2012, over half of the ponds needed to reach the 2015 target for high quality pond creation under the new Pond HAP
* contribute to protecting and increasing numbers of BAP species
* start reversing a century’s decline in pond numbers and quality
* create sustainable networks of clean water
* create ponds that will be Priority habitats of European significance under the Habitats Directive
* help climate-proof our freshwater landscape.
The plan after 2012 is to build upon this project so that, ultimately, the UK once again has at least one million ponds (not including garden ponds).
For further information about the Million Ponds Project and the importance of creating new clean water ponds for wildlife, please download Factsheet 1 and Factsheet 2 of the Pond Creation Toolkit.
The project was started in August 2008 and will run until May 2012. For more information on our progress you can view our Year 2 report here in high res (4.1 MB) or low res.
