Cathy Smith, our Community Wildlife Adviser, spent some time with Brockley resident David Rhodes to talk about the best way to restore their village pond. This historic pond was used a water resource for the village right up into the 1950s. It had become very overgrown and was losing its value for wildlife. 

David explains, “Cathy outlined what our priorities should now be in improving the pond and surrounding area. We will need to clear out the sludge at the bottom of the pond and continue to improve the levels of light getting to the pond. The Parish Council have been supportive of the initiative and a request for funding about this work will be submitted shortly. Although it is winter, we did have some wildlife interest in our work. We had a visit from a friendly robin, a brief and very fast sweep through from a sparrowhawk and there was a field mouse or vole who came to have a look at what we were doing.” 

Work party volunteers have cleared some of the surrounding undergrowth on the village green to allow light into the pond. A local farmer has kindly agreed to help de-silt the pond, so it will soon be bursting with life again. 

Well done to all Brockley volunteers for helping bring nature back to Suffolk – thanks for being part of Team Wilder!