wes_von_papineäu
Our Roving Correspondent
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- Wes von Papineäu
HARROGATE ADVERTISER (UK) 26 February 08 SOS plea to save great crested newts
Conservationists keen to protect a colony of great crested newts have sent out an SOS plea to the public asking them to keep dogs out of ponds at a nature reserve amid fears of unwittingly spreading an invasive weed.
Two of the six ponds have already been invaded by Australian stonecrop, an invasive weed which could simply take over the ponds.
The waters have now been treated with herbicide to control the rampant weed.
Notices around Rossett Acre Nature Reserve in Harrogate have been erected asking owners to keep dogs out of the water because the weed has already spread from one pond to another. If action had not been taken to the weed could have swiftly taken over.
Dan McAndrew, rural strategy officer for Harrogate Borough Council, said they did not want to be unduly alarmist but wanted to encourage sensible precautions.
However, they were not keen to imply it was normally acceptable for dogs to disturb the ponds. He said some people did not appreciate that "this superb little green gem of a site" was only saved from development because of the protection afforded to a colony of great crested newts on the site.
It was important to leave the newts undisturbed in the ponds, especially with the breeding season approaching.
An official of Rossett Nature Reserve Group has already received queriesabout the situation from the public, asking when owners can allow dogs back into the ponds.
Mr McAndrew said there could be a case for the group to replace existing notices with ones asking people to keep dogs out of the water for the sake of the amphibians and other wild life.
It has emerged that there is a clause in the lease to the borough council from potential developers which would be terminated if the great crested newts were no longer found on the site.
However, the land is protected by its designation as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.
It is more than 25 years since the site was created after conservationists discovered the protected great crested newts. Housing development was sidelined and the nature reserve created in its place.
Since then the nature reserve has been a learning resource for pupils from nearby Rossett Acre Junior School.
http://www.harrogateadvertiser.net/harrogatenews/SOS-plea-to-save-great.3817569.jp
Conservationists keen to protect a colony of great crested newts have sent out an SOS plea to the public asking them to keep dogs out of ponds at a nature reserve amid fears of unwittingly spreading an invasive weed.
Two of the six ponds have already been invaded by Australian stonecrop, an invasive weed which could simply take over the ponds.
The waters have now been treated with herbicide to control the rampant weed.
Notices around Rossett Acre Nature Reserve in Harrogate have been erected asking owners to keep dogs out of the water because the weed has already spread from one pond to another. If action had not been taken to the weed could have swiftly taken over.
Dan McAndrew, rural strategy officer for Harrogate Borough Council, said they did not want to be unduly alarmist but wanted to encourage sensible precautions.
However, they were not keen to imply it was normally acceptable for dogs to disturb the ponds. He said some people did not appreciate that "this superb little green gem of a site" was only saved from development because of the protection afforded to a colony of great crested newts on the site.
It was important to leave the newts undisturbed in the ponds, especially with the breeding season approaching.
An official of Rossett Nature Reserve Group has already received queriesabout the situation from the public, asking when owners can allow dogs back into the ponds.
Mr McAndrew said there could be a case for the group to replace existing notices with ones asking people to keep dogs out of the water for the sake of the amphibians and other wild life.
It has emerged that there is a clause in the lease to the borough council from potential developers which would be terminated if the great crested newts were no longer found on the site.
However, the land is protected by its designation as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.
It is more than 25 years since the site was created after conservationists discovered the protected great crested newts. Housing development was sidelined and the nature reserve created in its place.
Since then the nature reserve has been a learning resource for pupils from nearby Rossett Acre Junior School.
http://www.harrogateadvertiser.net/harrogatenews/SOS-plea-to-save-great.3817569.jp