The Village Pond Restoration Project was kicked off in October 2017 when long-standing resident of Yelverton, the late Ted Cullum, applied for a grant from the Community Benefit Fund.
Ted was concerned that within a few years, if no action was taken, the Village Pond would become nothing more than “a soggy depression, devoid of water and covered in reeds, rushes, saplings and scrub”. Ted illustrated his application with watercolour sketches he had made of the Pond showing how it used to appear.
The Parish Council agreed that the Pond was an important amenity for the Villages, and took on the restoration project.
The intent is to restore the Pond to health and beauty by cutting back trees and scrub that have become overgrown, thus increasing light to the pond surface and cutting down on leaf litter accumulating below the surface.
In addition the bulk of the reeds and rushes will be removed, and the sludgy mud that has built up dug out to the original Pond bottom.
Following advice from the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the Project was broken down into stages, dealing with the two halves of the pond in consecutive years during Autumn and Winter to reduce the impact on wildlife.
- Stage 1 October 2018 – the trees forming the field hedge line on the half of the Pond bordering Slade Lane were cut back to hedge height, saplings and reeds encroaching the banks were cleared, the willow tree pollarded and the ash tree removed as it was diseased. In addition, volunteers repainted the bollards and rails on the road edge.
- Stage 2 October 2019 – the trees bordering the other half of the Pond were cut back to just below hedge height. Dead and diseased trees were also removed. Some of the cut wood was placed on the banks to provide refuges for bugs.
- Stage 3 – the digging out of the sludge from the Pond is scheduled for September 2020. In addition the overgrown bull rushes will be removed. The Parish Council have a contractor appointed to carry out this work and the owners of Hill House have kindly agreed to allow this mud to be spread on the neighbouring field.
- Stage 4 – tidying up and stabilising the banks. Options to improve accessibility for visitors and sanctuary areas for the wildfowl are being considered.
Going forward we will regularly review the condition of the pond so that it does not get too overgrown with bull rushes and other vegetation in the future.
Would you like to help?
We’d like a team to plan, develop and look after the planting biodiversity around the pond, as we would like it to become a natural and attractive asset for the community to enjoy. If you are interested in volunteering please let a member of the Parish Council know. Contact us through the website, or email clerk.alpington@gmail.com
Alpington and Yelverton 