Push to identify ‘priority ponds’ in UK that are refuges for plants and animals

A pond in Cutteslowe, Oxford. Studies have shown ponds can support more biodiversity than larger water bodies, such as rivers and lakes. Photograph: Freshwater Habitats Trust

More than one in five ponds in the UK could be designated as “priority habitats” but only about 2% have been identified so far, experts say.

Priority ponds are recognised as being the highest-quality water spaces for freshwater wildlife, often providing a last refuge for plants and animals that have been lost from surrounding areas. The designation can help preserve ponds threatened by proposed construction and other landscape changes.