Here’s a quick update on the long-awaited work by Hampshire County Council Highways on our pond. They arrived in March as promised but had to go away until a DNA check on the water indicated there were no protected species present. They returned in May to do the scheduled work to clear the reeds which were choking the top quarter of the pond and remove the silt. In addition, they have been clearing the pipes and gullies into and out of the pond. We have also won a new gate to replace the broken fence section!
The work was done strictly in accordance not only with wildlife legislation but also the guidance given by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The work was limited to one quarter of the pond which meant that there was a clear escape route for any wildlife into the much larger undisturbed area which was strictly off-limits for the workmen. I was very pleased to see that these environmental protection requirements were observed to the letter by the contractors. I was also impressed by their professionalism and obvious concern for the environment. These guys are contracted by HCC Highways as pond specialists and do this type of work all the time. I was expecting a lot more damage to plants around the pond but because they used a floating digger-tank, disturbance was minimal.
The net result is that we have a much larger area of water now which will be attractive to ducks and other pond creatures for many years to come. We still have more grass raking in the main pond area to do in the autumn but now we have discovered the winning technique this will be a lot easier!