Our new pond

Our Saturday morning volunteers have dug a pond in the willows between the playground and the university boundary. There was a pond here over a century ago, when the Kirkstall Grange estate was bought by the Council, but it had since silted up. We've fenced it off for safety and to prevent disturbance, though you can view it through the fence. We've constructed a 'dead hedge' round three sides to benefit wildlife. We're hoping the pond will be colonised by plants, frogs and insects. We've sown wildflower seeds to speed things along. Birds including willow warbler have already been spotted. We've installed a bench under the weeping willow. We'll allow occasional access so park users can see how the pond is developing.