Out & About Summer 2019

Out&About leisure

ANDY COULSON-PHILLIPS of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust says big or small, ponds are important to the survival of wildlife Pond life OUTDOORS

S adly, the UK‘s wetland habitats, including ponds, rivers, streams and lakes, have suffered damage and losses at an alarmingly rapid rate. It is reckoned that no British lowland rivers are undamaged, either in relation to physical characters, their banks, beds or floodplains; or by pollution and nutrient run-off. The same is true for lakes, and more than half of the ponds present in 1900 are now gone. The loss of these important places – to development, drainage and intensive farming – is linked to a huge decline in wildlife. The abundance and diversity of species across groups like amphibians, mammals – including hedgehogs, birds and aquatic invertebrates – has declined, and it is estimated that 13 per cent of freshwater and wetland species are threatened with extinction from Great Britain. BBOWT is supporting the Wildlife Trust movement to raise awareness of the importance of gardens for local wildlife by offering tips and advice on how to make them more wildlife- friendly. A simple and personal intervention that can have huge benefits is providing a pond. By digging a pond in your back garden or even simply by filling a waterproof container outside your front door, you will be helping wildlife. You will also enjoy the benefits of seeing water plants, birds and insects close to home. Digging a garden pond is great for birds and mammals, giving them somewhere to drink. Even a small one is also likely to attract frogs and newts to feed and breed, as well as invertebrates like water

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boatmen, diving beetles and ramshorn snails. Larger ponds will be used by a wider range of species including bats, damselflies and dragonflies. BBOWT have several nature reserves with ponds and wetland wildlife. Sole Common Pond , near Hoe Benham, has a great variety of habitats for its size. While the pond, heathland and mature woodland are well worth experiencing, the wildlife gem of this reserve is the bog and its beautiful plants. In the bog, the insectivorous round- leaved sundew can be seen flowering from June to August. Valued as a herbal remedy for breathing problems, the sundew secretes a sticky fluid which traps and entangles unsuspecting insects. The pond is also brimming with wildlife – 15 species of damselfly and dragonfly have been recorded here. Situated on a hillside below Greenham Church, is Audrey’s Meadow . It is a mix of lowland meadow and woodland with ponds. There is a lot to be done at Audrey’s Meadow, including pond improvements, fencing, our annual community hay cut and stock-watching. Volunteers are always welcome. Kintbury Newt Ponds are home to a breeding colony of rare great crested newts. This small Berkshire reserve is made up of several ponds, reedbed, scrub and grassland. The dense blackthorn scrub around the ponds provides perfect nesting conditions for a range of summer migratory birds, including warblers.

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1.Common Frog © Mark Hamblin-2020Vision 2.Garden pond © Sandra Underwood 3. Pond © RHS – Tim Sandall 4. Pond in garden © Tom Marshall

Details of all BBOWT events on www.bbowt.org.uk/whats-on BBOWT Facebook handle is @bbowildlifetrust and Twitter is @bbowt

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O&A SUMMER 2019