Framing a strategy for pond landscape conservation: aims, objectives and issues

Research into and management of ponds for conservation purposes have been largely confined to the individual pond. Little attention has been paid to the totality of the pond landscape, even though there have been a number of audits of the pond resource. Significantly, they reveal falling pond numbers and pond densities, increasing landscape fragmentation and changing biodiversity status. In the main, the response to such change from relevant organizations and agencies has been weak. Aware of a rising tide of popular conservation concern, this paper discusses four important themes in deriving a strategy for pond landscapes: information needs, valuation, stewardship and awareness. Illustration is made from conservation projects underway, and the emphasis throughout is placed upon the practicalities of action and the feasibility of planning policies currently developing.