The Wensum Farmers have completed more than 120 pond restorations and fun fact - did you know Norfolk has more ponds than any other county in the UK? 

Working with the Norfolk Ponds Project and Dr Carl Sayer from University College London, we have been delighted with the results. We see the recovery and return of wonderful species such as:

• Great Crested Newt, 
• Crusian Carp 
• rare aquatic species such as stoneworts and pond weeds. 

As farmers and land managers we have become so much more interested in pond restoration. We have witnessed the huge difference in water quality, water levels, numbers of dragonflies and farmland birds feeding from insects! 

Professor Sayer estimates there are around 23,000 ponds in Norfolk. which is a huge asset for biodiversity when managed and restored correctly. Sadly there were thousands more but after the WW2 and for years to come, farmers where encouraged to fill these ponds in. 

Our ambitious pond restoration plans

Ponds offer a huge benefit to surrounding biodiversity and the Wensum Farmers group have set themselves the challenge to restore and enhance as many ponds in the landscape each year as possible. Most of these pits are ‘marl’ pits which is a term dating back to the 13th century where is was a substance consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, dug out and used as a field fertiliser. 

Over time many of these ponds are overgrown with trees and thorn which limits the sunlight and reduces the water level. Additionally, when they are not buffered from agricultural chemicals and soil erosion they can become highly degraded.