Britain’s ponds, a UK BAP habitat, have declined by up to 50% in some areas since the Second World War due to natural silting or intentional infilling. The loss of this habitat has led to the scarcity of, among other species, the Great Crested Newt.
Help is at hand, however, in the form of Tim Fairhead, the organiser behind the Kennedy Way Pond Restoration Project. A small area on the side of a roundabout near a huge new supermarket may seem an inauspicious site for a newly-restored pond, but it is exactly this sort of scheme that enables wildlife to maintain a presence in urban areas.
The pond had started to silt up, becoming choked with plants, partly due to the degradation of the original liner. The combined efforts of the Southwold Group of Avon Wildlife Trust, Valencia Communities Fund, the nearby Yate Shopping Centre and South Gloucestershire Council have meant that the little-known and hitherto doomed pond is now ready to attract new visitors.
Malcolm Stephen from the Southwold Group of Avon Wildlife Trust said: "This pond renovation will be a real benefit to local wildlife and is a good example of co-operation between the private, public and charitable sectors to achieve a successful outcome. We are particularly grateful to Valencia Communities Fund, who provided most of the funding for this project".
The pond is part of a wider chain of nature reserves in the area, providing a corridor for wildlife through Yate and beyond. With the hard labour complete, a new liner (similar to the ones used in landfill sites), an extended profile and native planting, the restoration has been completed. It is now up to nature to provide the finishing touches!
