WIRRAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

PONDS

1. CURRENT STATUS

1.1 National

1.1.1 Ponds vary in size from a square metre to 2 ha. Ponds and other standing open waters are usually classified according to their nutrient status. There are three main types: nutrient-poor (oligotrophic); nutrient rich (eutrophic); intermediate (mesotrophic); gradations between these main types occur.

1.1.2 Nutrient poor waters are typical of northern and western Britain, although they also occur on some heathland sites in the south. Their waters are clear and typical plants include water lobelia, alternate water-milfoil and bog pondweed. Mayflies and caddisflies dominate close to the shore while fish such as brown trout and arctic charr can be found in the larger waters.

1.1.3 Nutrient rich waters are typical of lowland Britain. Often cloudy-looking due to the amount of plankton and algae, characteristic plants include: duckweeds; yellow water-lily; spiked water-milfoil; fennel pondweed; fish include roach, bream and pike while invertebrates include snails and crustaceans.

1.1.4 Mesotrophic waters are intermediate and potentially have the highest biodiversity of any standing waters

1.2 Local

1.2.1 Most ponds and standing open waters in Wirral are generally small and tend toward being nutrient rich. Most were made for agricultural use.

1.2.2 Ponds are an important component in Wirral's landscape, however the number of 'wet' ponds has severely declined over the last 30 years.

1.2.3 Data is available in the form of point digitised location maps at Cheshire Wildlife Trust or Life Econet project at Cheshire County Council. Other data, such as full pond surveys for a limited number of sites is available through Liverpool John Moores University, dependent upon the future of the PondLife project.

1.3 Legal

1.3.1 There is a network of standing water SSSI/ASSIs in the UK, some of which are also NNRs. Several sites have been proposed as SACs under the EC Habitats Directive.

1.3.2 Several ponds in Wirral are included within sites designated as LNR such as Bidston Moss and Thurstaston Common. Ponds are also included in sites designated as SSSI such as Dee Cliffs. Others are in sites designated as SBI such as: The Dungeon Pond; Raby Ponds; Benty Heath Lane Ponds and Sandbrook Lane Pond.

1.3.3 There is limited protection for ponds through existing legislation, both directly (including planning, pollution control and waste management legislation) and indirectly through protection of features or species associated with ponds such as trees, protected species and hedgerows.

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2. CURRENT FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR DECLINE

2.1 National

The principal factors affecting standing open waters including ponds are:

• Eutrophication caused primarily by sewage or agricultural run-off
• Acidification may occur locally in areas with sensitive geology and soils, as a result of atmospheric deposition of pollutants
• Pollution from organic matter, silt, heavy metals, pesticides
• Lowering of water levels caused by over abstraction of surface or ground water, or by drainage
• Urbanisation and in-filling of ponds
• Hydro-electricity generation causing water fluctuations in some Scottish lochs
• Poor management on multiple use water bodies where activities (e.g. recreation, fish farming) are not sensitively managed (e.g. by zoning), and where surrounding habitats are inappropriately managed or neglected
• Changes in surrounding land use that alter the water table, change the pollution load, or degrade or remove valuable adjacent habitat

3.2 Local

The major factors affecting the habitats in Wirral include:

• Infilling of ponds on farms with farm-rubbish including vegetable and other crops, packaging waste etc
• Development pressure to infill ponds and build on the land
• Spread of invasive species such as pygmy weed, parrot's feather and water-fern resulting in ponds losing their diversity
• Pressure to infill ponds in urban areas as can be seen as "unsafe"
• Fly-tipping
• Over management in waters used for angling
• The perception that only large open ponds are valuable for wildlife
• Lack of management meaning natural vegetational succession leads to pond being over-shaded or vegetated without new ponds being created to replace fresh habitat
• Fragmentation of pond clusters
• Failure to consider surrounding terrestrial habitats as part of the wider pond landscape
• Pollution by fertilisers and pesticides

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3. CURRENT ACTION

3.1 National

3.1.1 Little work has been undertaken on ponds nationally by the statutory nature conservation agencies.

3.1.2 Recent results from the Countryside Survey 2000 show that there has been a net increase of 6% in pond numbers between 1990 and 1998.

3.1.2 Two national organisations, The Ponds Conservation Trust and Pond Action, provide a national focus for pond conservation.

3.2 Local

3.2.1 The EC funded North West PondLife project was based in Liverpool and provided the stimulus for local research into ponds through its international conferences.

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4. KEY SPECIES

Key species include: water vole; great-crested newt; common frog; common toad; dragonflies and damselflies; water beetles, frogbit, water-dropworts, stoneworts and many other plants.

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5. OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS

5.1 The overall objective is to maintain, in favourable condition, the range of ponds and the pond landscape in Wirral.

5.2 Take opportunities to create new ponds where appropriate.

5.3 Oppose loss of ponds and further fragmentation of existing pond clusters.

5.4 Return existing ponds to favourable condition through promotion of appropriate management.

5.5 Protect terrestrial habitat for amphibians around ponds.

5.6 To form a pond action group.

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6. PROPOSED ACTIONS

6.1 Site safeguard

6.1.1 Seek protection of ponds through UDP policies as required through the Habitats Regulations (Section 37). Current relevant policies are WA2 and NC6. (LA)

6.1.2 Adopt 'no net loss of ponds' as a result of new development policy, for example through use of Section 106 Planning Obligations. (LA)

6.1.3 Investigate opportunities for sustainable urban drainage schemes. (LA)

6.1.4 Ensure that existing legislation (in particular great crested newt) is fully implemented to maximise pond protection. (High Priority) EA/LA/DEFRA

6.2 Policy

6.2.1 Nothing specic proposed (see above section)

6.3 Land management

6.3.1 Agree appropriate long-term management for all ponds identified as SBI by 2005.

6.3.2 Identify areas for creation of new ponds to maximise biodiversity.

6.3.3 Include conservation clauses in farm business tenancies to ensure protection and management of ponds. (Medium Priority) Landowners/LA

6.4 Advice

6.4.1 Ensure that all agri-environment projects know the location, extent, importance and management requirement of ponds designated as SBI.

6.4.2 Promote targets in the Wirral BAP to ensure integration with other programmes and initiatives. (High Priority) ALL

6.5 Future research and Monitoring

6.5.1 Monitor, collate and disseminate information on changes in the extent and quality of the pond resource. (High Priority) EAS/MF

6.5.2 Investigate potential for pond creation to supplement ponds in late stages of vegetational succession.

6.5.3 Encourage studies of pond animals, invertebrates, mammals and amphibians. (Medium Priority) LA/EN

6.6 Communications and Publicity

6.6.1 Ensure distribution of best practice in management and creation to land managers. (Medium Priority) ALL

6.6.2 Highlight the importance of the habitat for protected species in interpretive material. (Medium Priority) ALL

6.6.3 Develop links with other land managers to promote best practice and exchange of information. (Low Priority) ALL

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7. RESOURCES

7.1 National

To date no costs have been identified nationally, although money from agri-environment schemes has been used to support pond management and creation.

7.2 Local

Wirral BAP Current expenditure cannot be estimated. However money from agri-environment schemes has been used to create and/or manage ponds.

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8. LINKS TO OTHER ACTION PLANS

North Merseyside BAP Water vole SAP, great-crested newt SAP, reedbeds HAP, field boundaries HAP.

Cheshire region BAP Water vole SAP, great-crested newt SAP

Wirral BAP Water vole SAP, great-crested newt SAP, Lymnaea glabra SAP, boundary features HAP

8.1 Conflicts

Not identified

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9. CONTACT POINTS

Andrew Hull, Liverpool John Moores University,
Telephone: 0151 231 4044

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10. REFERENCES

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