Local park’s pond to be restored

Norfolk Wildlife Trust, South Wootton Parish Council and South Wootton in Bloom will be in Wootton Park tomorrow [Thursday 24 September] from 10am to 12 noon to restore the park’s pond to help wildlife. With hundreds of native wetland plants to plant, all volunteers are welcome!

In recent years the pond has begun to dry out in the spring and summer months and become overgrown with scrub and grasses, shading out the pond and reducing its wildlife value. A successful grant application was put in to Norfolk Coast Partnership Sustainability Development Fund to raise funds to restore the pond. Ninety children from North Wootton Community School will be helping with the plant.

Volunteers are welcome to join tomorrow – no experience necessary – to help open the pond up to light and to reduce the amount of area of scrub and grass that has taken over the pond. This, along with the creation of a bog area in the wetter parts of the pond, installation of bird and bat boxes and a woodpile will hopefully increase the biodiversity of the pond and make it a honeypot for local wildlife.

Wildlife and Community Officer for Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Gemma Walker said: “Ponds are extremely important for wildlife. They provide a source of water for birds and mammals to drink; a place for frogs and newts to breed; they are home to a vast array of invertebrates such as dragonflies and they can be full of beautiful and unusual water plants. It has been said that if you can do only one thing to help wildlife build a pond in your garden and you will be amazed at what animals you will attract.

“Come along tomorrow, there is no need to book, just turn-up and join in. Meet at 10am by the pond in Wootton Park. Please bring wellies if you have them and wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty!”