The ripple effect – three reasons we’re creating ponds at Halnaker Hill Farm

At Halnaker Hill Farm, renaturing the land goes beyond planting trees and restoring wildflower meadows. As part of our wider ecological work, we’ve created three ponds to help bring water back into the landscape.

With guidance from our expert ecologists, we’ve added several ponds as part of our wider renaturing efforts. Despite the name, dew ponds have traditionally relied on rainfall rather than dew. They were often shallow and were a way of providing water for livestock, especially sheep in chalk landscapes that are free draining and don’t naturally hold water.

Supporting aquatic life on farms is nothing new – ponds were once a vital feature of rural landscapes, providing water for livestock, fish, industry, wild fowl, power and cropping. The use of plastic piping to water trough, and shifts in farming practices, have put pressure on these habitats. According to the Wildflowl and Wetlands Trust, nearly half of the UK’s farm ponds have disappeared over the past 50 years.

Other contributing factors include development, changes in land use, and reduced rainfall due to climate change.

Here are three reasons why we’re so committed to pond life!

Ponds are a quick win for biodiversity

Unlike woodland habitats, which can take decades to mature, ponds are a quick win – they need little space and can support rich biodiversity within months.

Even early on in our renaturing project, species like water fleas, pond skaters, dragonflies and beetles quickly settled into the new dew ponds at Halnaker Hill Farm.

Because ponds establish so rapidly, they were one of the first and most effective steps in boosting biodiversity on the farm.

Ponds are nature’s buffet

The humble pond is a perfect example of the food chain in action – each species draws in another in search of a meal.

Those early water fleas and pond skaters have already attracted dragonflies, and will soon bring in more invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles, which in turn attract birds hunting for frogspawn and tadpoles.  

Ponds also serve as watering holes for hedgehogs, foxes, and the livestock we plan to reintroduce over time.

Ponds help combat climate change

Ponds punch above their weight when it comes to capturing carbon – a process known as sequestration. As aquatic plants grow, they absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. When organisms like algae die, they sink and decompose, trapping carbon at the bottom and turning ponds into small but effective carbon sinks. The more ponds there are, the greater the cumulative impact.

As climate change drives more extreme weather, ponds also help manage it. They absorb excess rain during storms, easing pressure on drainage systems and reducing flood risk. In droughts, they hold water, supporting wildlife and helping maintain local humidity, offering relief during heatwaves. Rain or shine, ponds play a vital role.

Find out more about Halnaker Hill Farm and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

Ponds are just one element of the overall strategy for Halnaker Hill Farm, where we’re returning 330 acres of previously intensely farmed land to its natural state. 

The project will provide a total of 856 BNG units to be sold to both the mandatory and voluntary markets across the UK to help combat biodiversity loss and climate change.

To find out more and enquire about the purchase of BNG units, click here.

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