Ghost ponds across Mount Stewart are halting the decline of some species and bringing others back

YouTube video by RAZOR Science Show

An expert team are resurrecting ice age ponds and finding rare species returning from a ‘perfect time capsule’

Ponds are increasingly being recognised as critical to biodiversity conservation in UK landscapes. This new two-day course will introduce participants to pond restoration science and best practice. Gr...

Carl Sayer is Professor of Limnology & Freshwater Ecology at UCL. We were delighted that Carl was able to attend the FBA ASM to deliver a keynote talk on ghost ponds. These pond resurrections are ...

An expert team are resurrecting ice age ponds and finding rare species returning from a ‘perfect time capsule’

A conservation project is helping identify and restore wildlife-rich sites previously degraded and dried up

Digging new ponds and resurrecting old “ghost ponds” can be done by landowners to revitalise biodiversity in natural and farmland landscapes, say UCL researchers in a new how-to guide for turning degr...

These are all lost ponds - mapped, remembered, and ready to return.   Once, nearly every field had a pond. They weren’t just decorative - they were vital for holding water, supporting biodiversity, and structuring the landscape. Frogs, newts, dragonflies, and wild plants thrived in them. Farmers relied on them.   Over time, many were filled in for modern agriculture - quietly erased. But their footprints remain.   At ArchAI, using historic maps from 1900 and our AI-driven process, we’ve traced these ponds across the country. Our Lost Habitats dataset shows exactly where they once existed, and helps identify which ones can be brought back.   Restoring ponds doesn’t have to be speculative. The data shows where they worked before, and where they could work again. It’s one of the clearest, most targeted opportunities for ecological recovery at scale.   Let’s stop guessing. Let’s bring them back, field by field.   #LostHabitats #NatureRestoration #PondRestoration #GhostPonds #FreshwaterHabitats #AI #GIS #Ecology | 273 comments on LinkedIn