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http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/index.htm
Wildlife ponds
So you want a wildlife pond? Here's how to make one
in your garden. Once you've made the pond, it shouldn't be long before you are
watching wild animals. This is even true of ponds created in towns and cities.
We had a wildlife pond in our garden in London and we saw
dozens of frogs, a toad, newts, a hedgehog and five foxes who regularly
visited. Remember you need to get your parents' help and permission for this!
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When is the best time to
build a pond?
The best time of year to build a pond is in November
- this gives the pond time to settle down before the spring
WHERE SHOULD I PUT THE POND?
There are a number
of points to think about when deciding where to put your pond.
- The ground should be level or the water will
run out. If your garden is on a slope - make a terrace.
- Put it in a reasonably sunny position but still
give it some shade.
- Don't put it underneath trees or shrubs -
otherwise you will spend all Autumn getting the
leaves out.
- Don't put it somewhere people will keep
disturbing the animals.
If you have small
children in the house, be very careful where you put it - ie
somewhere they can't fall in. Small children can drown even in a few inches of
water, so perhaps you should think twice about having a pond at all, if you
can't fence it off.
Frog
HOW BIG SHOULD MY POND BE?
Of course this is dependent
on the area available but:
- Wildlife ponds need to be at least 60 cm (2 ft)
deep in Britain (deeper in colder countries), so that the animals can
escape the ice in winter and hot water in the summer.
- In deciding the width and length of the pond,
bear in mind that you will need some shallow edges, where the warm water
will attract animals such as tadpoles and where animals such as hedgehogs
will be able to climb out, if they fall in.
WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE IT OUT OF?
You will need
something to line the pond, so that the water stays in. There are two options -
a flexible pond liner or a cast pond (made from plastic or fibreglass).
Of the two, pond liner is the best, because you can get
your pond to be the shape you and the animals would like.
In particular the cast ponds often don't have the shallow area wildlife need.
You will find your flexible liner in garden centres
which have a water garden section. There are many types of pond liner - and
they vary in price. Look on the label to see how long the liner will last -
Butyl, which is what we used, can last over 20 years. Of course any liner will
not last long if it gets punctured - such as by a bird's beak or sharp stones.
You will also need something to protect the pond liner from stones etc - we
used an old carpet, but you could use old newspapers or fine sand, and there
are materials which you can buy.
Newt
HOW MUCH POND LINER DO WE NEED?
- To work out the length the pond liner needs to
be - add the maximum length to twice the maximum depth and add 60 cm
(2ft).
- To work out the width - add the maximum width
to twice the maximum depth and add 60 cm (2ft).
WE'VE GOT THE LINER - NOW WHAT?
- Dig the hole for the pond - the size and shape
you want. Remember the size of the hole you dig will need to be deeper
than the pond you want, to allow for the carpet or whatever you are using
to protect the pond liner. Keep the grass to one side.
- Dig a trench around the edge for the liner to
be moored in.
- Clear away all the sharp stones from the hole.
- Line the hole with the carpet or whatever.
- Spread the pond liner over the hollow up to the
trench.
- Weight down the edges in the trench with a
smooth stones
- Cover the pond liner with a shallow layer of
sieved sub soil and, if you want, smooth pebbles.
AND NOW ADD WATER?
- Yes, add the water slowly. You will find that
the water will pull the pond liner down to fit the hole.
- You will probably use tap water - in which case
leave it to stand for a couple of weeks.
- Once the pond is full - trim back the liner,
anchoring the edge in the trench using stones.
- Put the grass turves
back around the pond, going right up to the edge.
- The water will probably go green for a while.
Toad crossing
sign!!!
WHEN SHOULD WE PLANT THE POND AND WITH WHAT?
You can plant the pond after two weeks. The best time is in the Spring, but if you are like us you will want to have the
pond plants established before the frogs arrive to lay spawn, if so do it
earlier.
You must have enough pond
plants which provide oxygen - these are called oxygenating plants. There are underwater
oxygenating pond plants such as water starwort, milfoil, and willowmoss. Canadian pondweed can also be used, but it
grows like crazy and so you may have to remove some after a while. Floating
pond plants such as the water spider and water lilies are also useful, giving
shade and shelter. Then you will also want plants for the edges of the pond -
such as the marsh marigold and water forget-me-not, where animals can hide.
The best way to get pond
plants is from someone else who has a wildlife pond. Don't take them
from ponds without permission. You could try contacting your local wildlife
trust (see contact page) for help. In the USA you could try your local Native
Plant Society.
Rooted pond plants can be
planted in baskets filled with soil - you can buy the baskets from garden centres.
![Live Free or Die Newt Hampshire](PONDS_files/image008.jpg)
AND HOW DO WE GET THE ANIMALS?
Many will turn up by themselves - beetles will fly in, frogs will hop in and
newts crawl. Others will come on the plants or in the mud surrounding the
plants. You can try adding a bucket of mud from a wildlife pond to yours to add
some bugs and their eggs.
Don't put fish into the
pond, if you want frogs and tadpoles. Fish will eat them!
IS THAT ALL?
No, think about the pond's surroundings. A wildlife pond is no good if there isn't
anywhere to hide near it, and no sources of food. Animals, such as frogs and
newts, also need somewhere to hibernate. In order to provide, these create an
area of taller plants close to the water somewhere; a rockery can be created
from the soil dug out for the pond (we have a dry-stone wall near our pond),
and old logs nearby would also provide shelter.
Try to avoid using pesticides and herbices in the vicinity of the pond such as slug pellets. Slug pellets not only poison slugs, but
the animals that eat them as well.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/dfly/dflyusa.htm#intro
specifically for dragonflies in the USA
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/newts.htm
great little bit of info on newts
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protecting amphibians and reptiles in the wild
www.froglife.org
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www.people.colgate. edu/wda/Dragonfly.htm
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