The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Slightly off topic of meadows but we are looking to establish a large wildlife pond or series of ponds as part of our 3 acre site. Does anyone know of an expert in the Tavistock area (or Devon) who could offer some advice.
Thanks

You could ask your local swing shovel contractor if they have any experience, there's useful design information here: https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/proje ... ion-ponds/ Alternatively, someone like the Westcountry Rivers Trust, is likely to have a consultant: https://wrt.org.uk/

You could also start off by talking to your local planning office. I know that in the DNP, you need planning permission for anything bigger than you could reasonably excavate with a spade and wheelbarrow. If you're feeding the ponds from a stream or ditch, you also need to apply for Land Drainage Consent from Devon CC.

Thanks Steve- really useful points. Have already looked at the Freshwater Habitats site which I found too overwhelming to be useful. Great point about the planning. We have just had the development officer from the AONB whose suggestion this was but I do understand the two authorities may not have the same aims. Getting an expert in was a good way to make sure whatever we did worked. I shall contact the West Country River Trust to see if they can recommend someone.

Hi Yvette,

What a fantastic project - creating a pond or ponds is so beneficial for wildlife. The Freshwater Habitats Trust do produce a very good book simply called the Pond Book. I know you don't want too much information but it contains one chapter all about making new ponds. One page has a list of key aims to ensure you create a pond that is going to be good for wildlife. I have a spare copy of this book and would be happy to send it to you or perhaps deliver it if you're not too far away. I'm at St Giles on the Heath and we made a pond here about six years ago so I know some of the issues. We used a garden designer who had some experience of pond making - but he was expensive. It maybe worth speaking to the Freshwater Habitats Trust as they may know of someone in this area. Ideally it would be really good to involve an ecologist to some extent. I would suggest doing an internet search and also contacting the Devon Wildlife Trust and possibly the National Trust as they both do quite a lot of pond creation and improvement. If I can help further do get back to me. I can also speak to an ecologist friend of mine to see if she knows of anyone who might be able to help. My email address is jon.valters@btinternet.com
best wishes
Jon

Hi
Have contacted the Freshwater Habitats Trust and they are getting someone local to contact me to discuss the idea. It was the ecologist on her site review who suggested it and the AONB officer who got excited about it. It hadn't occurred to us! My husband is a little concerned as he feels the digging of it may be releasing carbon which is contrary to our aims but as we are a long way from doing the project we'll see what progresses. On the Freshwater site they say that creating a pond needn't be expensive and I agree that bringing in a designer could make it expensive. I posted on the local FB page and got all the local pond designers responded but there was one lady who is a conservation student who is just setting up a new business that may be the right person. The others seemed to be back garden pond designers.

I think we need to get some feel for what is envisioned before we can get excited about it.

Dear Yvette,
I realise you're at the beginning of the planning stage. Its great that you've contacted the Freshwater Habitats Trust and they've been able to help. One thing the Trust stresses is not to create a new pond in existing wetlands e.g. flushes, wet meadows, springs or temporary ponds. This is why getting advice from an experienced ecologist with a good knowledge of grasslands is important. I know an ecologist who until recently worked for a large Exeter consultancy and I could ask him to see if he might be able to recommend someone who could help - at a reasonable cost hopefully! Let me know if you'd like me to ask him. You'd also be welcome to visit my small nature reserve too ; we have two ponds; one large, one small. However the small one was created from an existing swimming pool (!) and we're quite a heavily wooded site (with a few meadows) so I suspect it is quite different from your land. The larger pond was already here when we arrived. I'm also not an ecologist! Anyway the offer stands if you think it might help.
Best wishes
Jon