Across Britain, ponds are quietly vanishing. Pouring over historic maps from the 1900s to trace old pond sites, I was struck by how many once dotted the landscape. Today, more than half have disappeared, a loss that threatens wildlife and our ability to cope with a changing climate.
That may be surprising as ponds seem small and insignificant. We talk about rivers, reservoirs and wetlands but ponds get very little mention, yet they punch far above their weight in ecological value. They store water, support biodiversity and help buffer floods and droughts. Losing them undermines both nature and our ability to adapt to climate extremes.
