Project Planning
In March 2025, Norfolk FWAG advisers Evan and Sasha met with the landowner and contract farmer to discuss the renewal of their agri-environment scheme. As part of this, we looked at opportunities for restoring and managing ponds across the farm. After reviewing historic maps, we located a number of ghost ponds (ponds that have been filled in, usually to reclaim agricultural land). Two of these were located in the margins of the fields, meaning that bringing them back would have little or no impact on field operations. We knew from 1988 aerial photography that both ponds had been filled by this point, and many of the surrounding hedges had also disappeared. It was common practice in the post war period to remove the hedge, burn it, and then push the stumps in the ponds to fill them in. At that time, such practices were incentivised by government grants in an attempt to increase food production and national food security. Grants for hedge removal ceased in 1976, except where this was ancillary to drainage work.
Left, OS first edition 1879-1886, showing locations of ponds and hedgerows. Right, Google Satellite aerial photography (2025).
We made a plan to ‘resurrect’ the ghost ponds September, with funding from the District Level Licensing scheme. Both ponds are located priority areas for great crested newt and are well connected to good quality terrestrial habitat and other ponds in the surrounding landscape. The objective was to dig the ponds back to their historic profiles, retaining the old sediments that contain the seedbank of the former pond. We also called upon our partners in the Norfolk Pond Project, who have many years of expertise in the ‘resurrection’ of ghost ponds to help us plan and oversee the works.
September 2025 – works stage
Green Lane Field Pond
Photo: Green Lane Ghost Pond in March 2025
The name of this pond is derived from the field in which it is located. Green Lane field is named after the old track to south of the pond, known as Green Lane. We had a reasonably good idea where this pond was located, as it lies wet during the winter months and a visible depression still exists where the pond once stood. Under the expert guidance of Professor Carl Sayer and experienced digger operator Dom Arnold, we broke ground. The first step was to dig a small pit next to the pond to identify what the natural subsoil is. This step can be very useful to establish when you are digging in infill (within the pond), and when you have reached the edge of the historic pond (natural subsoil). The underlying substrate was a chalky clay, which is presumably what was quarried by those who dug the pond.
Photo: natural chalky-clay subsoil away from the pond basin.
The next step was to dig a trench across the suspected location of the pond and determine its exact extent. There was a clear distinction between the loamy topsoil which was used to fill in the pond and the chalky clay subsoil, we also located darker stratified deposits which were clearly laid down in water. We had found the old pond sediments! Within these layers there were further clues, such as the shells of aquatic molluscs, preserved leaves of broad-leaved pondweed Potamogeton natans, and the seeds of aquatic plants such as branched bur reed Sparganium erectum.
This process was repeated by digging a second trench at 90° to the first trench to form a ‘cross’ shape. Once we had reached the edge of the pond in both trenches then the infill material was gradually excavated, being careful to retain the sediment layers that contain the seedbank.
During the excavation process we removed approximately 50 tree stumps from the pond, which are thought to have originated form the removal of surrounding hedges. The stumps were used to create hibernacula around the pond and will provide excellent habitat for a host of species. To finish off, the digger operator carefully spread around the darker pond sediments, which will help to accelerate the colonisation of the aquatic plants from the seedbank.
Photo: Green Lane Field pond after restoration
Artichoke Field Ghost pond in March 2025
The name of the field where is pond is located is something of a mystery, perhaps artichokes once grew in this field. In order to keep the history of the field, the pond was named Artichoke Field Pond. The location of the pond on the historic maps shows that it used to abut the track, known as ‘green lane’. There was very little evidence of this pond on the ground apart from a subtle difference in the vegetation growing in the old basin.
We started to dig trenches in the shape of a cross, using the same method as for Green Lane Pond. It became immediately apparent that this pond had been filled in with plenty of rubble and waste. We even found a seed packet dated to 1984, which we expect is the year the pond was finally filled in. We decided not to excavate the whole pond and only excavate the part that did not contain large amounts of rubble and waste.
Unlike the green lane pond, we did not easily find the old pond sediments and it took plenty of exploration. We eventually uncovered some finer silty sediments, and the presence of pea mussel shell confirmed these were indeed old pond sediments.
After careful excavation, the pond was finished. A new 10 m wildflower buffer around the pond will be established to create a clean catchment and improve the surrounding terrestrial habitat.
