The conference will welcome speakers covering the ecology of Ice Age Ponds, their geological origins and recent findings, carbon capture, future funding and farming with the main theme focusing on the unique assemblage of Ice Age Ponds we have in Herefordshire but also highlighting how important and overlooked ponds are generally.
The day will open with Ali Morse, The Royal Society of Wildlife Trust’s Water Policy Manager setting out the national context before project staff detail the background to the project and its findings. Also presenting during the day will be pond experts Tim Holt-Wilson of Norfolk Geodiversity, Professor Ian Fairchild and Warren Eastwood from Birmingham University, Olivia Verplanke of the University of Keele and Mike Jeffries from Northumbria University.
As well as offering attendees an insight into the geology and natural history of these pre-historic ponds which are such a feature of the north-west Herefordshire landscape, the conference will also include information about how local communities and individuals can get involved in learning about and helping to conserve these important habitats today.
The Ice Age Ponds Project began in 2020 with aim of mapping a network of ponds which were created during the last Ice Age as glaciers retreated from north west Herefordshire. These incredible heritage ponds were created around 20,000 years ago, when mammoths were still roaming the area and, today, are habitats for many rare and unusual plants and animals. While many of the ponds, remarkably, still exist today, many more have been lost and the project worked with landowners and local communities to survey and restore a number of key sites to preserve them for the future. The project is a collaboration between Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, the Herefordshire Amphibian and Reptile Team and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust and has been made possible with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The conference will take place on the 2nd of March at the Three Counties Hotel in Hereford with free tickets available to attend in person or virtually.
Further Information
Conference Schedule:
https://www.herefordshirewt.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/Schedule%20for%20the%20day.pdf
Restoring Herefordshire’s Ice Age Ponds
Our Ice Age Ponds Project aims to save the area’s unique glacial ponds. These incredible heritage ponds were created around 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age, when woolly mammoths were still roaming the area. Remarkably many of these ponds still exist today! This exciting project is being delivered by a partnership of local conservation organisations: Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Herefordshire Amphibian and Reptile Team and Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust and is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
https://www.herefordshirewt.org/iceageponds
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
Since the National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK.
Each week, thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised for good causes across the UK.
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust is the largest member-based nature conservation organisation in the county, with over 5,500 members, 500 volunteers and 55 nature reserves across Herefordshire. The Trust has over 50 years’ experience of managing sites valuable to wildlife and people and runs a variety of projects and partnership initiatives from environmental education programmes to conservation projects to protect, restore and celebrate Herefordshire's landscapes and wildlife. The Trust is part of the federation of 46 Wildlife Trusts based across the British Isles. For more information visit www.herefordshirewt.org