What’s to be done with Horsington Pond? Either it sits there full, dark and rather sinister or we see a trickle between muddy banks. There seems to be no in-between.
The ideal pond is deep enough in places for fish to survive in times of heat but with shallow, sloping margins that encourage plant growth to support both flora and fauna.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the young children of the village could play in it without fear of falling into deep water, catching minnows in jars and learning about the multitude of wild-life that it could support? The kingfisher, even now an occasional visitor, could be seen more regularly in all his iridescent glory.
For starters the current sluice gate is incapable of controlling the pond level: it is all or nothing. If we want to be able to empty the pond then the sluice must be set lower.
However the problem seems to be more fundamental than that. We are told that the pond has a stone base and that when it was cleaned, it was excavated to that level. But looking at the profile, this seems far too deep. If the base level was raised by a couple of feet the pond would become a much more welcoming haven for wildlife. The addition of several lorry loads of stone and the formation of a weir, to take the place of the sluice, would give the residents of Horsington a much more pleasant village feature but no doubt the Environmental Police will throw up their collective hands in horror at such a suggestion.
For starters how about employing a hydrologist to prepare a feasibility study? This is the sort of project beloved by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the Somerset Wildlife Trust would surely love to have some input.
Come on Parish Council – do something positive.
Chris Bailward
We thank Chris very much for his contribution, and hope other readers will comment or make constructive suggestions -Ed
I agree that something must be done. The constant draining by lifting the sluice gates is not clearing the silt away nor doing anything to help maintain and further establish the basic ecology needed. Other villages manage to develop and maintain ponds and streams so we should be able to as well. We certainly don’t need anything so deep but the pahtetic meandering stream left when the gates are up is embarrassing. I like the idea of contacting the Somerset Wildlife Trust before anyone wakes up the NRA or the environmental police as they just seem to blow things out of all proportion and cost everyone a small fortune.
I thought the pond was recently cleared out at considerable expense. Didn’t the local authority hi-jack the project, which added to the cost and complexity?
I agree something ought to be done, but I am sure a common-sense home-grown approach would be better. Keep the bureaucrats and box tickers away, and we will escape the law of unintended consequenses.