Reed Pond Project

If, like us, you love the various ponds to be found around Reed Village, you might be interested in a new project to help conserve two of them. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, the respected conservation charity, recently sent one of their experts to view the Cartwash, on Church Lane, and Pitties pond, on Jacksons Lane at the junction with High Street. He described them both as “treasures”. He advised that, aside from their beauty as part of the village landscape, the ponds were excellent sources of carbon storage. But to keep them healthy, the ponds needed to be maintained in a managed and sustainable way. Conserving the ponds could be an important new project within the village. The Parish Council is considering how best to approach any work on the ponds and will be discussing this at their next meeting on 21 July. Other villages have gone about conserving their ponds through a management plan involving a combination of paid-for work by contractors, and voluntary work carried out by local people. We would welcome your help: • Do you have any expertise/experience in maintaining a pond? • Do you have, or know anyone who has, expertise in biological and wildlife surveys of ponds? • Would you be willing to be part of a small group of volunteers to help carry out work on the ponds? This might include helping to clear debris, cutting back excess growth, and planting suitable aquatic oxygenating and other vegetation If you would like to know more or respond to any of the questions above, please email barbara.blower@reedparishcouncil.gov.uk or ask any of the Parish Councillors.