This essay is about two of our local ponds in France. The 20th century has not been kind to ponds. In both France and Britain, many were drained to create more farmland or filled in to make room for new developments. Some ponds went to waste and others were stuffed full of it! In France and the UK more than half the ponds have disappeared in the last 50 years. In places like the small hamlet in which I live, it is easy to forget that clean mains water is a relatively new thing and that people used to rely upon wells and rain-water collected off the roofs. Animals in the fields were most likely to get their water from streams or from ponds – either natural, or specially created for the purpose. Whether the water was in a pond or on containers, it provided an important habitat for many amphibians, reptiles, insects and plants. Ornamental ponds have been created to satisfy the eye of the owners but do not do as much as they might to replace the niches represented by the vastly greater numbers of ponds that were found in the countryside 100 years ago.
Fortunately, the people of Vaour and Penne have recently recognized the importance of the ponds that remain within the boundaries of the two villages. There is an argument to be had about ‘re-wilding’ and whether or not nature should be allowed to simply take its course. However, while ‘re-wilding’ is undoubtedly an important approach, the destruction of nature has gone so far, and the impact of climate change is now so profound, that unless we also take what I call a ‘gardening approach’ to retaining biodiversity many species will not just be lost to the local environment but perhaps rendered extinct. Thus, I take my hat off to the enterprising band of villagers who undertook to save the local pond at the Cite du Lac near Vaour.
I was encouraged by some friends to go to this pond to take pictures of the dragonflies and other insects that are to be found there. I have a particular liking for dragonflies and damselflies and love to photograph them but they are also an important indicator of the health of the bodies water in and around which they live. The restoration work must have been back-breaking. Before it took place, the pond was full of trees that had fallen into the water and the surface was covered by a gigantic carpet of floating weed. Now there are open expanses of water and one can access the some of the banks. I noticed that the water remained quite brown with organic matter but lilies were beginning to grow and these should provide some shade that will help suppress further algal growth. When I arrived to take the photos, frogs leapt back into the water and small fish were jumping which makes me think that despite its colour, the water quality is now pretty good. There were several species of dragonfly flying over the pond and also some damselflies. However, it didn’t prove to be the best of locations for macro-photography. My prey were mostly sitting on the branches of small bushes and trees on an island near one side of the pond – I could not access them without waders or a small canoe! That said I was able to get a few shots of those that chose to perch on the more accessible banks. I am hopeful that those involved in clearing the pond will gain some reward from seeing photographs of a few of the many beautiful creatures that thanks to them, are now living there.
The same day I also visited a pond on the unpaved road from Haute Serre to Penne. Unlike the pond at Vaour, it is small and was entirely dry at the end of last year’s drought. This year has seen much more Winter, Spring and early Summer rain than is usual and the pond has sprung back to life. There is very little open water and weed is growing over about 90% of its surface. The weed got a grip when the pond was almost dry. I think the plants involved are called ‘Mare’s tails’? However, I was struck by just how many small dragonflies are now hunting, mating and laying their eggs there. I know there are some frogs living in the water beneath the weeds because I heard them earlier in the year. Perhaps because it entirely dried out last year, or perhaps because it is much smaller, there appeared to be many fewer frogs than in the pond at the Cite du Lac. It is one of series of ponds located at a low point along the small road to Penne and as far as I recollect it was the only one of them to completely dry out. Unfortunately, I can’t get near the others to see what’s living there. A big plus for me was that this pond is reasonably accessible for photography and I spent a couple of hours there taking photos (note to self – next time wear mosquito and tick repellent!).
I think the take away messages from these ponds is clear; a little judicious ‘gardening’ can do much to restore our ponds and you can’t put a good pond down! If there is the rainfall, or if the trees around small ponds are removed, the water levels can soon recover and very soon, even a pond that has entirely dried out can become home to a myriad of creatures. Nature is incredibly resilient and will fight its way back but sometimes rather than leaving it to re-wilding, conservation of species demands the efforts of good men and women.
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