Whilst providing accessible and abundant seed-rich habitat is the most crucial element for Turtle Dove conservation in the UK, access to fresh water is also important. Mark Nowers, Operation Turtle Dove’s adviser for Essex, explores our work with farmers and partners in Eastern England.
There is something magnificent about a pond, especially on a sunny, summer’s day. Imagine clean, fresh water bursting with aquatic life – fish, amphibians, nymphs of damselflies and mayflies plus a rich web of submerged, oxygenating plants. Above the surface, birds (and bats at night) hawk for insects, whilst others come to drink. Small mammals like Water Shrews work the edges, the surrounding grass is rich with butterflies and any scrub will be perfect for breeding birds, ideal even, for a Turtle Dove.
Historic pondscapes
Nineteenth century maps show an incredible ‘pondscape’ – there were tens of thousands of them in lowland England. Ponds had a myriad of uses back then, such as being dug for ‘marl’ (a nutrient-rich clay, used as a fertiliser), providing water for livestock or for keeping fish and ducks.
As farming practices changed, the majority fell out of use. Over the course of the last century they dried out, becoming surrounded by trees or filled in completely to lie as “ghosts” in the middle of fields. Modern maps tell a story showing far fewer blue spots.
Change is coming though, with farmers and landowners leading the way and bringing clear water back into the countryside.
Bringing ponds back to life
Across eastern England, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG East) have restored over 550 ponds over the last four years. Nowhere is this more evident than with the North Essex Farm Cluster’s Pant Valley Pilot Project. Here, over the last year, twelve neighbouring landowners have restored or created 38 ponds… a true ‘pondscape’ in the making.
Autumn is the ideal time to bring old ponds back to life by clearing trees and vegetation on their south side to let light flood in. Then, leaf litter is gently removed from the base of the pond, taking care to keep some of the original black mud in the bottom. That black seam of mud is ecological gold, holding a seedbank that has lain dormant for decades.
The best ponds are those that are not connected to a pipe or ditch and once restored, have a 10-metre buffer from farming activities. 
An historic pond before restoration. Credit: Lucy Jenkins (FWAG East).
Mapping historic ponds across Essex
In Essex, Operation Turtle Dove has teamed up with the Essex Wildlife Trust and with some dedicated volunteers, who spent hours scanning maps online to identify all the historic ponds in the county – there are over 17,200!
We are now visiting farms to carry out pond condition assessments to support farmers in deciding which are the best ponds to restore. This work is now embedded in the county’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy. This perfect partnership of conservation organisations, landowners and volunteers was presented on a poster at the International Pond Conference in November 2024.
Huge value for wildlife
Our work was inspired by the ground-breaking “Guide to the restoration, creation and management of ponds” produced by University College London and the Freshwater Habitats Trust. This guide has shone a light on how ponds, once restored, pack “a huge punch for wildlife” for such a small area.
The massive energy of its authors has pushed pond conservation up the agenda in the landscape and is turning the taps back on for nature revival. For a bird that has a dry, seed-rich diet, access to fresh water is vital for Turtle Doves.
Get involved
If you’d like to get involved in helping Turtle Doves where we’re working in southern or eastern England, please get in touch with your local Turtle Dove adviser, or visit our advice pages to find out more about what you can do to help. Turtle Doves need three key elements: seed-rich feeding habitat, dense scrub and hedges for nesting and accessible freshwater for drinking and bathing.