At the latest Footprint Trust AGM members heard the news that Isle of Wight Pond Wardens had a good year.  Its all thanks to support from South Wight Housing Association, Southern Water and the Environment Agency, that the Footprint Trust had been able to run two training courses for the group during the year. 

This in turn led to new recruits for Treefields Pond on Binstead Road, one of the few surviving ponds in the Ryde area.  The group and the Footprint Trust are working together with South Wight Housing Association in continuing the work with the community at Treefields Pond at Ryde.  

Wardens are also now in place for the public ponds in Carisbrooke and Newport.  One of them is the Medieval Carisbrooke Mill Pond, at the rear of the Eight Bells pub, which is owned by Southern Water. The other ponds in the area are the former farm pond in Hilton Road, the ancient Priory Pond and the recently restored one at Town Gate, Newport, near Sainsbury’s.
 
Twelve people were trained at each event, giving a total of twenty-four new Pond Wardens, who were welcomed at the AGM.

Wardens heard that in partnership with the Footprint Trust, successful family pond events had been held at the IW Council’s Fort Victoria Country Park and SWHA Treefields Pond.  The Wardens expressed their gratitude for funding from the AONB project and Leader+ to the Footprint Trust for making these events possible.

Suzie Mundell and Ray Harrington-Vail, of the Footprint Trust, highlighted the damage being done to Island pond ecology by the illegal introduction of Common Carp and goldfish.
 
A talk was given by Suzie Mundell of the Island 2000 Trust’s Newport Rivers project. She explained the processes of naturalisation that is occurring along the Medina and its tributaries, including the recent work at the Carisbrooke Mill Pond.
 
For more details and information on the Footprint Trust click HERE:

Isle of Wight Community Information @Island Pulse.