Pond News
Posted
Recent activity at the old Village Pond has attracted a lot of interest. The pond, on the East side of Norwich Road near to the Village Hall, used to be the village well pond, with a pump installed for communal use.
Situated on land controlled by the Winter family, the parish council agreed that it would be a good idea to rejuvenate it, as over the past few decades it had become silted up and overgrown. Norfolk Wildlife Trust agreed this was a good idea (especially for great crested newts) and offered the funding to do it. A handy man with a digger was available.
Pond restorations always look stark at first. Even so, the pond was found to be much deeper than expected. Digging had to keep going until the clay lining, was revealed. This meant pulling out all the decomposing silt and smelly organic matter that had built up over the years. If it had been left in there, it would have been very dangerous for anyone/thing venturing in, as they could have sunk and disappeared in the mud. Furthermore, it would not have been great for wildlife as the water would have soon become smelly and stagnant again.
Nature has an incredible way of restoring itself and it is expected that, by next summer, the pond will have greened up, with clear, clean water and be humming with insect and bird life. The coppiced/cut hedge will soon bounce back too. A “Deep Water” warning notice is planned.
A few people suggested stocking the pond with fish but the advice from Norfolk Wildlife Trust was not to do so as fish will eat the eggs of newts, frogs, toads etc. and they can also stir up the sediment and make the water murky.
We will all enjoy watching this pond come back to life.
Many thanks to Emily and Martin.