Creating and managing a pond for wildlife is the theme of a new publication by An Taisce.
Ponds are a “low cost” and “straightforward tool” to tackle biodiversity loss and improve local environments, it says.
The pamphlet/poster has been drawn up by An Taisce’s Legacy4LIFE Ponds for Biodiversity team, and it includes a poster on key steps towards creating and managing a pond drawn by children’s book illustrator Brian Fitzgerald.
The Ponds for Biodiversity team says it hopes that the guidance offered in the new publication will “further encourage pond creation and management nationally”.
“Increased local level pond creation supports habitats and refuges for many of Ireland’s wildlife including plants, mammals, birds, amphibians and a host of macroinvertebrates,” it says.
Ponds have been shown to host more biodiversity than rivers and lakes, supporting an impressive two-thirds of freshwater species, including some that are categorised as threatened on the International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN) red list for Ireland.
The increased uptake of pond creation and management across the country will help tackle Ireland's water quality status issues.