Ponds

There are an estimated 400,000 ponds in the UK (not including garden ponds). Of these 80,000 ponds (20%) are predicted to be of high ecological value and should be protected.

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park there are 2,124 ponds of an area of 2 hectares or less. As yet we do not know which ones are of high ecological value, however we do know that priority species such as flat sedge, white-clawed crayfish, common toad, grass snake, reed bunting, yellow wagtail, red shank, song thrush, northern lapwing, soprano pipistrelle bat, brown long-eared bat and otter all need good quality pond habitat. Ponds are a priority habitat in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and work is needed to find out their condition.