Nature pond plans submitted to support wildlife in Nidderdale AONB
A new wildlife area could be created in the Nidderdale AONB with nature ponds and scrapes to attract small creatures.
The bid is submitted by Nidderdale National Landscape - a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), covering 233 square miles in the heart of North Yorkshire.
It would see the creation of a wildlife pond along with a scrape, which is a shallower damp area to hold rainwater seasonally, on land at Dacre Banks.
The proposals, for woodland at East Wood Barn, have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council for approval.
The Nidderdale AONB is a protected landscape, rich in wildlife and windswept moorlands, with a public body dedicated to its preservation and care. Under a Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, wetland creation is a priority.
Wetland creation officer Christy Irish, in reports, said: "Ponds provide watering holes for grazing livestock and vital habitats for insects, small mammals and amphibians residing in grass pastures.
"Ponds will not be fenced, allowing access to livestock for drinking."
It comes alongside further applications at Kirkby Overblow, for the creation of three ponds on private land at Low Snape Farm. Here, a half acre site grassy field just south of Pannal would see works to carve the landscape to create wet areas and a swale to serve as a ditch.
This is land surrounded by grassland and pasture fields, lined by trees and hedgerows, and extensive ecological surveys have been carried out to assess the impact. While there may be some disruption while ground work is carried out, official reports suggest, overall the new wetland creation would be of benefit to a range of species. Grassland would be reinstated around the ponds, once work was complete.