Relocation

[idris]

It's probable we will be moving house in the next 6 months and there's a good chance whoever buys our house will rip out our pond. (It's a long story. Don't ask.)

It pains me to think it will be destroyed and the fauna displaced. At the least, we would expect to take the fish with us and create a new pond, but there are loads of frogs, newts (not the protected kind), dragon flies, damsels and all the usual host of pond skates, snails, etc etc and if the pond goes, we'd like to take them with us.

I'm sure I've heard that you shouldn't move frogs to prevent spreading disease, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience or specific knowledge of relocating pond life?

 

[Crossocheilus]

When we moved into our current house we had a pond built, filled up in Autumn and had tadpoles and newts in it by March, so if you are willing to wait I'm sure the new pond will be full of life in no time. Otherwise I suppose you could catch as much life as you can, bag it up and take it to your new pond. I think whatever you do, having that pond ripped out will have a huge impact on surrounding wildlife that depend on the pond, all you can do is damage limitation. If there are neighbouring ponds the wildlife will just move there and be fine, the only issue would be seeding your new pond with life, which you could do using stuff caught from a pond or river local to your new house.
I am no expert but that's what comes to mind and I hope it can be of some help, good luck with the move![DOUBLEPOST=1406726058][/DOUBLEPOST]Sorry to write so much but I just thought I should mention something else. You may be aware that frogs and newts use not only the pond but also the surrounding area so ideally get frogs local to the new house, as long as the frogs etc at the old house have a place to go.
Again I am no expert and have little experience but I hope this can be of some help.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
It is a real shame, but ponds are "transitory landscape features", so most of the organisms that use them are fairly mobile.

If you had a large tub you could just store some plants and pond mulm in them until your new pond is ready.

"Freshwater Habitats Trust" would be my first port of call for advice.

cheers Darrel

 

[parotet]

Take as much as you can with you and afterwards organize a 'pick your own' party for your neighbors that also have ponds or will have one ... A good way to say goodbye!

Jordi