Policymakers and practitioners will soon benefit from two major new publications, being developed through PONDERFUL.
The PONDERFUL technical handbook is a 100-page book for people involved in planning, designing and implementing practical projects that use ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions for addressing social, economic and environmental challenges.
Bringing together expertise from across the PONDERFUL consortium and new research findings from the project, it includes practical guidance on managing, restoring and creating ponds. The handbook also provides advice and information on funding pond and pondscape projects and a series of case studies from across Europe and South America, demonstrating how these small waterbodies can help solve societal challenges.
Stakeholders inputted into the technical handbook in the workshops, held in autumn and winter 2023-24.
For policy makers and legislators, a quick guide to the use of ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions will be provided by the PONDERFUL policy guidance document.
Professor Jeremy Biggs, CEO of UK PONDERFUL partner Freshwater Habitats Trust, said: “Together, these two documents will provide up-to-date guidance on ponds and pondscapes, based on new evidence from PONDERFUL. The project has generated exciting results on the potential for ponds and pondscapes to help us adapt to climate change and the technical handbook and policy guidance document will help ensure this information is presented in a way that can be used by policymakers and practitioners.”
Both documents will be published in September 2024.