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01603 814869
Have any questions?
01603 814869
During the winter period of 2023-2024, Norfolk FWAG worked alongside Norfolk County Council to identify neglected farmland ponds that were suitable for restoration through Natural England’s District Level Licensing Scheme. We are pleased to share that four ponds were successfully restored for the benefit of great crested newt and a host of other farmland wildlife.
Ponds were once an important part of the farmed landscape, used for watering livestock and crops, or were formed as a result of digging lime-rich clay to be used as a fertiliser, known as ‘marl’. However, since the 1950’s many ponds have been filled in to make way for bigger fields and machinery, and those that remain have ceased to be managed. Over time, ponds become overgrown with trees and scrub and accumulate a thick layer of organic silt, creating an environment in which few aquatic plants and animals can survive. In order to restore the biodiversity value of neglected farmland ponds, the main principles are to allow light back into the pond and to remove the silt layer, whilst being careful not to alter the pond’s original profile.
After carefully selecting the ponds that we wanted to restore, we worked closely with the landowner and a local digger operator to oversee the restoration works. Some of the woody material removed from the ponds was piled up nearby to provide terrestrial habitat for amphibians and other wildlife.
While the restoration work may look harsh, we expect to see a surge in the abundance and diversity of aquatic plants over the following years as the seeds which have laid dormant below the silt are brought back to life. Pond restoration also has great knock-on effects for pollinators, farmland birds and even bats which forage for emerging insects.
We will monitor the ponds using water sampling to test for the presence of great crested newt DNA and record which plant species return to the pond.
District Level Licensing is a Natural England scheme to offset the impacts of development on Great Crested Newt. Funds generated from developments which impact great crested newt breeding ponds are reallocated via a habitat delivery body in order to provide compensatory habitat; this includes pond creation, restoration or resurrection of historic ponds that have been filled in.
In April 2024, Norfolk FWAG became a delivery body for District Level Licensing in Norfolk, alongside Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Norfolk County Council.
We are looking forward to seeing which species appear in the four ponds we restored this winter, every pond is unique and the results can be surprisingly quick.
We are looking to deliver a total of 30 compensatory ponds by April 2024, so we are still looking for more pond restorations, creations or resurrections to fund.
District Level Licensing will fund the cost of the restoration works, as well as ongoing monitoring and maintenance. As a delivery body, Norfolk FWAG can assist with the application process free of charge.
If you would like to know more about the scheme then reach out to us to discover how we can help you!
During the winter of 2023-2024, Norfolk FWAG team members, Evan Burdett and Henry Walker, worked with Norfolk County Council to identify ponds eligible for restoration and opportunities for pond creation to reverse terrestrialisation.
Our team set out with the goal of creating a detailed report that would provide an understanding of this situation, which would then assist in targeting environmental stewardship options and other initiatives.
In celebration of Earth Day, a spirited group of volunteers from Crisp Malt joined forces with representatives from Norfolk FWAG — Henry Walker and Bea White — along with farmer, Nick Anema, for a day of tree guard removal.
As the Norfolk delivery partner for the DEFRA Future Farming Resilience Fund-funded Royal Countryside Fund run, and Farm for the Future programme, Norfolk FWAG’s Sasha Wells and Bea White are providing essential support to farmers.