planning the pond
surveying the site
plastic pipe laid around the edge of the pond
laying the liner
finished pond
grass around the pond edge
Learning about habitat range within a pond and Devon bank eco-system
The idea for a sustainable environmental area at Burlescombe CE Primary School came as a result of the school achieving a 'healthy school' status and aiming towards an 'eco school' status. The school was working on the theme of "The Environment" and Squirrel's class (children aged 6-8 years old) were set the challenge of creating an environmental area on a site at the bottom of the school garden.
After investigating the idea of environmental sustainability, and the range of local wildlife that was already present on the school site, the children learned about the range of habitats within a pond and a Devon bank eco-system. It was decided that these would then be included in the environmental area.
Hugh O'Connell, APLD, of UK Garden Design, kindly donated a great deal of his time to assist Squirrel's class with their project. He gave lots of advice about materials and then carried out a site survey and showed the children how to plot the features onto a scale drawing.
After the survey, the Squirrel's class visited a range of different types of environmental areas to get ideas about what they would like their area to look like. They made some designs based on the criteria they wanted to include; notably a pond, a dipping platform as well as a Devon bank. Hugh used these ideas as inspiration for a final design drawing, which he printed professionally.
All that remained at this stage was the construction! Hugh provided excellent local knowledge on specialists and contractors who provided and fitted the pond liner.
Burlescombe CE Primary School was fortunate in having great links with the staff at Westleigh Quarry who made donations of materials and supported parents with digging machinery. A supportive local builder/carpenter also made donations of his time to assist in the project.
The construction phase took less than a week and the school are now about to move forwards with planting in the area. No doubt Hugh's expertise will be invaluable once again!
Edging the Wildlife Pond and Laying the Liner
Ideally for human’s wildlife ponds require to look ‘natural’ and brimful. One way of achieving this and reduce cost is to set a pond edge under the liner with an agricultural plastic drainage pipe.
Water finds its own level
Prior to laying the under-liner and butyl liner after the pond hole has been dug to sloped profiles and shaped the pond edge is set level with a lazier level, or Theodolite/Dumpy. Pre drilled wood pegs (for string) are hammered in the ground flush to finished level 1m apart and 300mm (1ft) back from the pond edge. Agricultural plastic 100mm (4 inches) diameter Wavencoil pipe (see picture right) is laid on top of the pegs and tied in with string around the pond edge. This leaves the pipe set 100mm above the edge ground. The under-liner and liner are then laid into the pond bottom, up the sides and over the 100mm pipe edge, allow 1m of liner edging (appropriate to the pond shape for folds) before cutting off surplus material. Do not cut a hole through the liner for an overflow pipe.
To be safe and avoid puncturing the liner another layer of under-liner is laid on top of the butyl, over this clean topsoil (dirt) minus sharp stones, glass, metal, etc is placed 150mm deep (6inches) working from the pond bottom up. The layer of soil is placed on top of the liner covering the bottom; pond sloped sides, and over the pipe edge then married into the surrounding soil. Wavencoil pipe has small holes and ridges around its circumference that function to let water into the pipe – in this application air in the pipe is trapped by the liner and soil weight that causes the pipe to become rigid, the rigid pipe forms an unseen support edge around the pond; the rigid edge covered with 50mm of soil can be felt with the human foot. After completing this stage the pond is filled with water.
As illustrated (right) grass has been allowed to grow up to the pond edge that looks natural. The water seen in the photograph has iced over.
Pond Overflows
Most ponds don’t require an overflow pipe, unless there is a constant supply of running water. The wavencoil pipe edge level is fractionally lowered (without altering the peg levels) at the lowest natural ground level behind the pond for excess rainwater or stream outflow. If there is a piped overflow run the water over the butyl edge into the overflow pipe.
Pond illustrated shows water (iced over) and dipping platform in December 2007. 5 months after making the pond – the overflow point is seen.
