Why a Wildlife Pond?

Much of the wildlife that visits a garden will benefit from readily available water, whether it is a fox or hedgehog searching for a reliable source of clean drinking water, a small flock of starlings needing a bath, or frogs and toads looking for a safe breeding place in early spring. 

 

Water in the garden also provides a place to grow some of our most beautiful native wetland plants, such as Purple Loosestrife or Water Mint, both of which are sources of nectar for summer butterflies.

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Furthermore, a wildlife pond can be a focal point for your whole garden.  

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In the words of George Orwell ( in Coming up for Air ):

 

"You could spend a lifetime watching them, ten lifetimes, and still you wouldn't have got to the end even of that one pool.  And all the while the sort of feeling of wonder, the peculiar flame inside you.  It's the only thing worth having......"

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Species and Habitats

 

The Freshwater Habitats Trust estimates that half of the UK’s ponds were filled in during the 20th Century.  Many of the wetlands that do survive in the countryside are suffering from fertilizer run-off and chemical over-spray.  Although rural Scotland is relatively  less impacted by the decline than many other areas of the UK,   the problem remains in more urban areas.   A garden pond provides you with a guaranteed means of helping wildlife to survive, and the life it brings to your doorstep will enrich every aspect of the enjoyment your garden gives you.

 

 A recent study by Northumbria University determined that organic carbon burial rates in small ponds were 20-30 times higher than rates estimated for many other habitat types, such as woodlands or grasslands, and higher than those of other natural wetlands.  The study concludes Our results indicate that ponds have the potential to be a very useful additional tool for mitigating OC (organic carbon) emissions.