A network of ponds for wildlife
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There are over 5,000 ponds in the Peak District, with around 2,000 supporting priority species.
Three quarters of these are in the White Peak, mostly represented by dew ponds created during the 19th century. Village and garden ponds, mill ponds and ponds created in quarries all add to the network of ponds.
Over 400 of the Peak District`s ponds have been surveyed and are classed as priority habitats, primarily due to the presence of great crested newts and toads, but also host an array of other rare animals and plants.
Ponds in the Peak District face many threats, including sedimentation or erosion; invasive species such as New Zealand pigmyweed; livestock access, particularly poaching; and agricultural run-off. The future of dew ponds is considered to be at very high risk (opens new window) due to the impacts of climate change, particularly to potential changes in rainfall patterns and droughts. Consequently, it is essential that aquatic networks are robust in the face of a changing climate.
# For nature
- Ponds provide still water habitats for plants, invertebrates and amphibians, and drinking water for other wildlife.
- Dew ponds in the White Peak are home to nationally important populations of great crested newt. All UK amphibians rely on water bodies such as ponds to complete their life cycles.
- A network of ponds that hold water means species can move between them, spreading their genes and making populations more resilient. Great crested newts, for example, need ponds within 500 metres with good quality habitat linking them.
- Ponds with muddy banks are important for swallows and martins.
- Ponds can host rare plant species, such as pond water-crowfoot and marsh cinquefoil.
- Some invertebrates, such as some species of bee, need a large source of water nearby to establish a long term colony.
# What else can ponds deliver?
- Ponds can be used as a natural flood management tool to hold water, particularly during heavy rainfall.
- Carefully managed livestock drinking water.
- Ponds are part of our farming and cultural heritage, for example the distinctive dew ponds in the White Peak where there are few natural ponds.
- Using traditional techniques to restore ponds helps to maintain traditional craft skills.
- Village ponds can help provide communal spaces in the centre of human settlements that have benefits for both residents` mental health (opens new window) and nature recovery.
- Ponds in or near schools or youth groups can be used to help educate young people about the natural world in an interactive way, for example with pond dipping activities to learn about the different species living in local ponds.
# In practice
The management, restoration or creation technique used will depend on the location and type of pond.
Ponds for wildlife often need to be fenced, with gates, to limit access by livestock. Fencing or dry stone walls can also prevent dogs from damaging ponds or contaminating the water with flea products that are toxic to aquatic life (opens new window), or spreading invasive species.
Practise biosecurity, such as check, clean, dry, when moving between ponds.
Avoid or minimise agricultural input, including slurry and fertilisers, in areas around ponds.
Planning permission may be required to create a pond.
Ponds which are good for wildlife should not be considered for introducing invasive plants or ornamental fish.
Where possible, ponds should be deep enough to avoid freezing solid, or drying out during droughts.
Well-vegetated banks that won’t be eroded by flooding or heavy run-off.
Each pond in the network should be sufficiently close to others to allow invertebrates and amphibians to move between them.
Semi-natural vegetation such as trees, scrub or rough grassland along run-off pathways into ponds can to reduce evaporation and maintain water quality.
