Can you help continue restoring an historic pond in Froyle?
On Saturday 12th September 10am to 1pm we plan to remove about a quarter of the vegetation and silt to benefit the known population of great crested newts as well as other protected species. School pond (also known locally as Dew pond) was shown on the 1845 tithe map of Froyle. The restoration work is being overseen by Pete West from HIWARG (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amphibian and Reptile Group). The quadrant that we dug last September was the first to fill with water and the last to dry out this year. The photo in March shows the pond full of water but it dried out completely in June. The use of heavy machinery to dig out the silt is not a choice because of the historic habitat and any potential damage. See report from last year 2025.

Recommend appropriate clothing, gloves and footwear for digging and moving silt. If you can, do fetch a spade or fork or ideally a wheelbarrow.

Progress made to deepen pond: a group of volunteers continued last year’s dig, assisted by members from HIWARG (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amphibian and Reptile Conservation). By monitoring the pond levels, we should see that water is retained for longer where it is deeper. We plan to repeat the dig in September 2027 by extending the area into another quadrant of the pond. Among the silt and stones removed were broken bricks, rusty iron pipes, broken ceramics and glass. There was also a cylindrical piece of carved stone of unknown origin. Sue from Upper Froyle, metal detected the dig area and found a corroded Victorian half penny.