habitat creation | wetland management
New Ponds
Creating new ponds and wetlands helps in a small way to replace lost habitats. They are a fairly reliable way of attracting wildlife. All aspects of pond creation are enjoyable and can involve all ages, and most small ponds will require some annual maintenance, which helps maintain interest.
Size is not important for a pond, though usually the larger the better. However, even a very small pond, only 1 metre or so across, can serve many of the functions of a larger pond. Profile however is very important. The pond should have at least one side that slopes gently from the edge to the deepest point, while other areas should have a ledge or two on which plants can be placed.
If possible, there should be a minimum depth of about 50cmm though this is not exactly critical. The pond should receive plenty of sunshine, and as far as possible it should not receive quantities of leaves from nearby trees in Autumn. Shaded or leaf filled ponds have very little life, as the water becomes deoxygenated. It is also a good idea to site the pond next to some other rough habitat, at least on one side, so amphibians and other creatures can approach and leave the pond under cover.
A wildlife pond should have some of the following zones, to cover different habitats requirements for wildlife
Deep water - Water deeper than 40cm provides a habitat for plants and animals which prefer permanent water. Freshwater mussels, toads, red-eye damselfly, and waterflea are all found in this zone. Deep areas are most beneficial in ponds which have clear water, since submerged plants can grow in abundance, providing a habitat structure for invertebrates in an otherwise featureless water, especially if turbid from algal growth.
Shallow water - This is the very edge of a pond, with water just two to three centimetres deep. Compared to the deepest parts of the pond, this zone has warmer water and has more light so breeding amphibians and water insects thrive in this zone.
Drawdown Zone - Where land around a pond is low and flat, and the banks slope very gently, an extensive marshy drawdown zone can develop. It is an area which floods in the winter and dries up in the summer, a habitat exceptionally rich for plants, invertebrates and small mammals. If you have a large pond with a bare shoreline trampled by cattle or visitors they can still be valuable where a complex of tiny temporary pools provide a host of habitats for shore bugs, beetles and even caddisfly larvae.
Surrounding land - Many pond animals use this area as part of their life cycle. Dragonflies may live and hunt far from the pond. To benefit such animals the land around the pond should be used as little as possible. Habitats such as unfertilised grass, woodland or scrub are particularly favourable. Have your pond in a "wild" corner so a rough border can be left around the pond.
Water voles feed off the stems of reeds, moth caterpillars mine within the stems of reed, and leaf litter at the base of tall plants is an important habitat for many wetland invertebrates. Tall plants sometimes provide the only cover for birds around a pond.
It is best to avoid stocking the pond with fish if you want to retain a lot of wildlife. It is possible for both to co-exist, but fish certainly keep the number of insects as dragonflies down, and if the pond is poorly vegetated their destructive effect will be very clear.
table showing different types of pond liners
| Liner type | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Concrete | Very durable & vandalproof | Cracks when frosty, labour intensive |
| Puddled Clay | Remains waterproof indefinately | Labour intensive, only good if have clay source |
| Butyl liner | Easy to mould & fix | Prone to vandalism & puncturing |