Norfolk Ponds Project
@norfolkponds.bsky.social
Science-led NGO restoring & conserving Norfolk's ponds. Pioneers of #ghostpond resurrection & farm pond restoration. Crucian carp, eels, stoneworts, birds, bats, pollinators. Come yew orn: www.norfolkponds.org
The invasive plant, New Zealand Pigmywort Crassula helmsii, is a big trouble maker, but can be hand-picked & dug out of ponds & eradicated. Over recent days our Julia Mumford-Smith & 4 volunteers worked hard to clear Crassula from 2 species-rich North Norfolk farm ponds. Crassula can be beaten!!!
December 2, 2025 at 10:24 PM
The invasive plant, New Zealand Pigmywort Crassula helmsii, is a big trouble maker, but can be hand-picked & dug out of ponds & eradicated. Over recent days our Julia Mumford-Smith & 4 volunteers worked hard to clear Crassula from 2 species-rich North Norfolk farm ponds. Crassula can be beaten!!!
The great Helen Greaves representing us at the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership Community Biodiversity Fair today @theforumnorwich.bsky.social promoting ponds, #pond restoration & of course #ghostpond resurrection
October 4, 2025 at 12:20 PM
The great Helen Greaves representing us at the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership Community Biodiversity Fair today @theforumnorwich.bsky.social promoting ponds, #pond restoration & of course #ghostpond resurrection
A resurrected Ice age #pond in Norfolk, E. England. Dug to draw in extraterrestrials. It took 1 day to bring back. The black soil is full of seeds. The excavation will fill over winter & be amazing by summer. Photo @hburningham.bsky.social @hayleymcmechan.bsky.social @timholtwilson.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 9:27 AM
A resurrected Ice age #pond in Norfolk, E. England. Dug to draw in extraterrestrials. It took 1 day to bring back. The black soil is full of seeds. The excavation will fill over winter & be amazing by summer. Photo @hburningham.bsky.social @hayleymcmechan.bsky.social @timholtwilson.bsky.social
4/4: Other items of high historical & culture significance include this Saxon soil cistern & a shard from a mesolithic marmalade jar. The latter was probably owned by a nomadic European aurochsen hurder. We have contacted the British Museum
September 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
4/4: Other items of high historical & culture significance include this Saxon soil cistern & a shard from a mesolithic marmalade jar. The latter was probably owned by a nomadic European aurochsen hurder. We have contacted the British Museum
3/4: Much important #pond archaeology was found including this medieval witch's cauldron (modelled by @frogsatuea.bsky.social) containing burnt wood & bones likely of the locally abundant meso-predator Shuckus rougiensus. A spell or a meal? @mattpope.bsky.social
September 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
3/4: Much important #pond archaeology was found including this medieval witch's cauldron (modelled by @frogsatuea.bsky.social) containing burnt wood & bones likely of the locally abundant meso-predator Shuckus rougiensus. A spell or a meal? @mattpope.bsky.social
2/4: We dug it out today being careful to expose as much seed-rich deeper mud as possible - sediments laid down in the landscape of likely 100s years ago
September 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
2/4: We dug it out today being careful to expose as much seed-rich deeper mud as possible - sediments laid down in the landscape of likely 100s years ago
1/4: We restored the biggest Norfolk farmland #pond we have ever worked on over the last 3 days. 50 x 25 m. Huge amounts of willow was removed by our volunteers followed by much chainsaw work @patrickbarkham.bsky.social
September 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
1/4: We restored the biggest Norfolk farmland #pond we have ever worked on over the last 3 days. 50 x 25 m. Huge amounts of willow was removed by our volunteers followed by much chainsaw work @patrickbarkham.bsky.social
We have been described as "THE BEST NGO THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT"
Please help by following us & reposting!!!
Please help by following us & reposting!!!
September 15, 2025 at 8:37 PM
We have been described as "THE BEST NGO THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT"
Please help by following us & reposting!!!
Please help by following us & reposting!!!
4/4: Why do we do it? It's because you end up with ponds that are so mega species-rich like this after just a year or 2. Come on!!! :)
September 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
4/4: Why do we do it? It's because you end up with ponds that are so mega species-rich like this after just a year or 2. Come on!!! :)
3/4: At the end we have a few big piles of brash which we leave to rot down & spoil that is spread over the land. Thanks to Jennifer Langham for photo
September 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
3/4: At the end we have a few big piles of brash which we leave to rot down & spoil that is spread over the land. Thanks to Jennifer Langham for photo
2/4: After our volunteers have cleared as much wood as possible in come the digger & chainsaw (Phase 2)
September 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
2/4: After our volunteers have cleared as much wood as possible in come the digger & chainsaw (Phase 2)
1/4: It's Norfolk Ponds Project Pond Week. Despite the wild weather hampering things today we are now 4 ponds in! Look at this pond in the morning compared with the afternoon. All done with hand tools & brill volunteers clearing scrub (phase 1)!
September 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
1/4: It's Norfolk Ponds Project Pond Week. Despite the wild weather hampering things today we are now 4 ponds in! Look at this pond in the morning compared with the afternoon. All done with hand tools & brill volunteers clearing scrub (phase 1)!
This week we are working with volunteers to restore around 6 farm #ponds by major scrub & mud removal. Today we got almost 2 ponds done through pure weight of numbers helping!!! A truly brilliant crazy team!!!
September 13, 2025 at 7:49 PM
This week we are working with volunteers to restore around 6 farm #ponds by major scrub & mud removal. Today we got almost 2 ponds done through pure weight of numbers helping!!! A truly brilliant crazy team!!!
A day of 'ghostpingo' #pond resurrection in the Norfolk Brecklands with @timholtwilson.bsky.social & other wonderful experts. By the end of tomorrow Norfolk will have 2 more of its lost ancient ponds back
September 11, 2025 at 8:39 PM
A day of 'ghostpingo' #pond resurrection in the Norfolk Brecklands with @timholtwilson.bsky.social & other wonderful experts. By the end of tomorrow Norfolk will have 2 more of its lost ancient ponds back
2/2: Here is a good haul of stumps. We typically leave these near the finished pond as refugia. Everything we do is un-doing
September 7, 2025 at 7:41 PM
2/2: Here is a good haul of stumps. We typically leave these near the finished pond as refugia. Everything we do is un-doing
1/2: Ponds were often filled in at the same time that hedges were removed & so burnt wood & hedgebank soil was dumped in the disappearing pond which was a convenient hole. Big tree stumps could not be burnt so often come out whole when we restore #ghostponds. Often we find loads of big stumps
September 7, 2025 at 7:41 PM
1/2: Ponds were often filled in at the same time that hedges were removed & so burnt wood & hedgebank soil was dumped in the disappearing pond which was a convenient hole. Big tree stumps could not be burnt so often come out whole when we restore #ghostponds. Often we find loads of big stumps
A pond restored in 2015. Stunning structural complexity & very high biodiversity in its 3 planty zones. Right in the middle of an arable field but no drainage in & a good buffer. Farming & conservation working together. This is what we MUST DO! @wildernorfolk.bsky.social @tonyjuniper.bsky.social
September 7, 2025 at 5:06 PM
A pond restored in 2015. Stunning structural complexity & very high biodiversity in its 3 planty zones. Right in the middle of an arable field but no drainage in & a good buffer. Farming & conservation working together. This is what we MUST DO! @wildernorfolk.bsky.social @tonyjuniper.bsky.social
This is what we do. Since 2014 we have restored (& guided others to do the same in the UK) 100s of #ponds with **MASSIVE** measured benefits.
See this mid-arable farm pond before & just 1 year after restoration by scrub & mud removal. A freshwater jewel in the landscape @davetickner.bsky.social
See this mid-arable farm pond before & just 1 year after restoration by scrub & mud removal. A freshwater jewel in the landscape @davetickner.bsky.social
September 6, 2025 at 6:35 PM
This is what we do. Since 2014 we have restored (& guided others to do the same in the UK) 100s of #ponds with **MASSIVE** measured benefits.
See this mid-arable farm pond before & just 1 year after restoration by scrub & mud removal. A freshwater jewel in the landscape @davetickner.bsky.social
See this mid-arable farm pond before & just 1 year after restoration by scrub & mud removal. A freshwater jewel in the landscape @davetickner.bsky.social
The Great Silver Water beetle is the size of a small building. It is strongly an East Anglian species & we see it regularly in farm ponds that we restore. A largely vegetarian species. An absolute corker
September 6, 2025 at 5:39 PM
The Great Silver Water beetle is the size of a small building. It is strongly an East Anglian species & we see it regularly in farm ponds that we restore. A largely vegetarian species. An absolute corker
They are now full of rare Fen Pondweed & Stoneworts
September 6, 2025 at 7:49 AM
They are now full of rare Fen Pondweed & Stoneworts
It's a great when you change the map! 2 resurrected #ghostpingos, just 1 yr old, look like they have been there forever. Working with the brill @timholtwilson.bsky.social & funded by Norfolk Wildlife Trust, BFER & Heritage Lottery we have helped 22 lost ancient Ice Age ponds back to life since 2021
September 5, 2025 at 9:07 PM
It's a great when you change the map! 2 resurrected #ghostpingos, just 1 yr old, look like they have been there forever. Working with the brill @timholtwilson.bsky.social & funded by Norfolk Wildlife Trust, BFER & Heritage Lottery we have helped 22 lost ancient Ice Age ponds back to life since 2021
3/3: We also found this primitive Voodoo doll. It was likely buried as a ritual offering to the locally revered God of Sugarbeet as a guard against invasion from cave crazies known to live in the gothic village of Booton. We quickly re-buried it
September 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
3/3: We also found this primitive Voodoo doll. It was likely buried as a ritual offering to the locally revered God of Sugarbeet as a guard against invasion from cave crazies known to live in the gothic village of Booton. We quickly re-buried it
2/3: Important finds were made during the excavations including a seed certificate dating pond infilling to after 1984, a posh bottle of fizzy Chateau de Aylsham, a piece of Rick Astley's shirt & an early fertiliser bag. All now deposited at the British Museum
September 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
2/3: Important finds were made during the excavations including a seed certificate dating pond infilling to after 1984, a posh bottle of fizzy Chateau de Aylsham, a piece of Rick Astley's shirt & an early fertiliser bag. All now deposited at the British Museum
1/3: The how & why of #ghostpond resurrection was the focus of a workshop that we ran for Norfolk FWAG & the Royal Countryside Fund this week in Cawston, Norfolk. Around 30 farmers saw 2 lost ponds brought to life
September 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
1/3: The how & why of #ghostpond resurrection was the focus of a workshop that we ran for Norfolk FWAG & the Royal Countryside Fund this week in Cawston, Norfolk. Around 30 farmers saw 2 lost ponds brought to life
August 31, 2025 at 7:29 AM