Hope restoring historic ponds will boost wildlife

Restoring Cannop Ponds in the Forest of Dean will help the area to become a haven for wildlife, says Forestry England.

The first images have been released by Forestry England showing what the two reservoirs will look like when the project is completed.

A new slipway will be created on the Lower Cannop reservoir, the dam will also be strengthened, while the Upper Cannop will be improved with a mixture of open water marsh and reedbeds.

Director of engineering, Josh Howe, said they wanted to create the "best possible future" for the ponds to make them "safer and more resilient for generations to come."

Cannop Ponds were created in the 1820s through the construction of two dams across Cannop Brook, but they no longer meet modern safety requirements.

Forestry England revealed four options for the future of the ponds in 2023 and following a public consultation the preferred scheme was chosen in early 2024.

A series of public engagement events will be held throughout September for people to see the latest plans, which Forestry England say will create a haven for wildlife.

"We know these ponds hold a special place in the hearts of many local people and visitors, so it's important that everyone has the chance to have their say," Howe said.

Forestry England had initially looked at removing the dams due to concerns over the risk of flooding in the surrounding area.

Other avenues were considered following protests and a survey, which showed that more than 60% of people wanted the ponds retained.

"It's been a longer journey than we had anticipated but our priority with this project has been quality over speed," said project manager, David Fish.

"We've taken the time to get the proposed scheme right – balancing safety, sustainability, and public feedback – to deliver a solution that protects and enhances this special place."

The public events will take place at Speech House Hotel, Cinderford, on 24 and 30 September. A virtual event will also be available online from 24 September until 22 October.

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