Plough Pond Work Party Update

We’re thrilled to report that another fantastic work party has taken place at Plough Pond! Thanks to the efforts of our dedicated volunteers, the remaining 50% of trees overhanging the island margin have now been expertly removed, significantly improving access and the health of the habitat.

A big thanks goes to Danny Dance, who also carried out excellent repairs to many of the fishing pegs, restoring them to top condition. Meanwhile, Jon Blackwell delivered a masterful job cutting the grass, helping keep the pond surroundings looking neat and welcoming.

We’re pleased to share that the plants, initially planted as a Proof Of Concept, have survived the winter and are growing well – a promising sign for future habitat improvements!

Special thanks to Leslie Teale, Danny Dance, Nick Ponting, Barry Sutton, Jim Pike, and Jon Blackwell for giving their time, tools, and hard work to make this progress possible. The day was made even better by the refreshments provided, including a fine selection of delicious cakes that kept everyone’s spirits high.

We encourage all club members to attend future work parties – no matter how much you can contribute, every little helps and is greatly appreciated. Together, we can continue to make Plough Pond a place we can all be proud of.

The island is clear in the margins, ready for the planned new plants and coir rolls.
Two more piles of debris will be burned in the coming weeks.
Some larger tree stumps remain to provide anchor points for the cormorant tapes.
Plants in the POC coir rolls have continued to grow and are flowering, providing future growth.
Some weed growth has appeared in the Pond, and is being closely monitored. Some weed growth is good for the underwater habitat, including the fish. Proof of this can be seen in the frog spawn and giant freshwater clams that have been observed in and around the margins.
Additional work is required around pegs 16-20 to create sufficient fishing space.
Now more of the pond can be fished without any danger of overhanging trees.
Only one piece of terminal tackle was found attached to the now cleared trees, but no one has claimed ownership of it.
The lawnmower is back in action, expertly operated by Job Blackwell, after some initial issues with the new seat. Caution is advised when using the lawn mower to prevent falling asleep due to the comfort improvements.
Peg 11 was expertly repaired by Danny Dance.
Other Pegs have been repaired with stone and topsoil provided kindly by Nick Ponting.
Newly stocked shoal of Bream
Newly stocked shoal of Bream.


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