quab pond update

​The latest stage of work on the Quab pond has now been completed at the bottom of the Common, below The Ardagh.

The work was carried out in agreement with Bristol City Council and involved digging a deeper central area, with gently sloping sides to make the pond safer and more accessible for wildlife. The sloping edges will allow animals to move in and out of the water more easily, while also reducing the risk of steep or unstable banks.

The original aim of the project was to create a pond that would hold water naturally, without using an artificial liner. Previous digging had revealed areas of heavy clay, but our first effort wasn't so great at holding water. So this time we dug further down to reach the more solid, impervious clay layer beneath the surface. Clay acts as a natural seal, helping to prevent water from draining away too quickly. It has traditionally been used to line ponds and canals for exactly this reason. Now that we have reached this layer, we can already see water slowly seeping into the deeper part of the pond, even in the current heatwave.

The next step is simply to wait and see how well the water holds. As with any project involving natural ground conditions, there is always an element of uncertainty. Rainfall, the water table, the surrounding soil and the depth of the clay will all influence how the pond develops over the coming weeks and months. There are already some encouraging signs. Within a very short time, the water began attracting a variety of insects, and several young frogs were spotted hopping through the grass around the pond as we worked. This shows just how quickly wildlife can respond when new areas of water and damp habitat are created.

The Quab pond is very much an ongoing project, and we will continue to watch how the water level changes and how wildlife uses the area. For now, we think the digging is complete and nature needs time to take over. Thank you to everyone who came along with spades, helped with the digging and supported the work. It was a considerable physical task in the heat, and the progress would not have been possible without the time and effort of our volunteers.

​We will share further updates as the pond develops. In the meantime, please take care around the area and avoid disturbing the water, pond edges or surrounding vegetation, particularly now that frogs and other wildlife are beginning to move in.

AUGUST UPDATE:

Thanks to a fantastic donation of logs from The Ardagh we have been able to add a hibernaculum to the Quab pond this week (see the last photo). 

A hibernaculum is a sheltered place where animals such as frogs, toads and insects can safely spend the winter. Ours is made from logs covered with mud, with small gaps left so wildlife can get inside. It's something you can easily make something similar in a corner of your own garden. Here's a link if you want to give it a go: https://www.froglife.org/tag/hibernaculum/​

One of our visiting frogs, photo courtesy of Dylan Peters at wildbristol.co.uk