About our Group
Popley Conservation Volunteers a small group of people with a wide range of interests and skills. Some are interested in conservation, some in wildlife; others are members to be part of a friendly and welcoming social group. The group offers opportunities for active outdoor work to improve the Popler Ponds Local Nature Reserve and its neighbourhood for wildlife in general and particularly amphibians.
The site
Popley Ponds is the name given for a large derelict and overgrown chalk quarry located on the northern edge of Basingstoke. Today the site is colonised by an interesting range of trees and plants, which are home to a wide collection of creatures including an outstanding range of amphibians. At the bottom of the quarry there is a pond which fills in winter. The pond contains a large colony of Great-Crested Newts, which are protected by law. The site has been designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and Local Nature reserve (LNR) in the local development plan and is now being taken care of by Popley Conservation Volunteers.
Work tasks
Work tasks include pond clearance, tree trimming, fence improvements and litter removal. These activities improve the site to make it more suitable for Great-Crested Newts and other wildlife.
The group carries out some newt surveying, which is done by:
- visual sampling – looking for newts in ponds or hiding under objects on land
- bottle trapping – catching newts in plastic bottles submerged in water
- netting – using a net in a pond to search (for amphibians)
- egg searching – examining vegetation for eggs.
Great crested-newts are a protected species, so licenses are required to carry out conservation and survey work that may affect them.
Future work parties
For further details please see the work party leaflet or contact Katy Hooper, the Green Spaces Ranger on 01256 845649.
