Page 52 - ALG Issue 2 2018 html

https://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/msstt/news/urmston-pond-to-be-brought-back-to-former-glory
Urmston Allotment Holders Rescue Historic Pond
Mossfield Allotments in Urmston, Trafford, have carried out a major restoration project of what is believed to be a historic Marl Pond traced as far back as 1848. Marl ponds were historically used by farmers to fertilise the soil; this was done by digging out lime or ‘Marl’ from the bottom of the ponds and spreading it on the land. At one time there were many such ponds around this area which used to be a farming land.
The pond was overgrown and unsafe, and with the help and support from The Conservation Volunteers, Groundwork, United Utilities, Tesco Bags for Life, and Trafford Housing Trust, it is now
an excellent area of conservation. The restoration has included an accessible viewing platform, nesting islands for resident and visiting water birds, and safety features such as warning signs and fences. Wildlife interpretation boards have also been installed to help visitors
identify the plants and animals on and around the pond, along with additional information on ponds available to visiting groups. A lot of the overgrown vegetation has been removed and replaced with over 1000 native aquatic plants. The pond now provides an excellent area to observe nature, which we believe will be an asset to our local community for many years to come.
We now plan to hold more open days and charitable events, and hope that the pond will attract more visitors to our allotment site, thereby giving us an opportunity to promote allotments as well as nature conservation. We would be pleased to welcome individuals or groups to visit our pond and our site.
To arrange a visit, please contact mossfieldallotments@gmail.com
Chris Turner, Mossfield Ground Committee
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