The Iris Pond is being restored with funding from Natural England’s new District Level Licensing Scheme for Great Crested Newts, which Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is helping to deliver for Wiltshire. Southwick Country Park Local Nature Reserve is more than happy to be involved.
The scheme provides a new and alternative approach to the current great crested newt licensing requirements that all developers must meet. Instead of licensing disturbance, which simply resulted in the trapping and relocating of the newts, new habitat is being created or restored, paid for by developers and delivered by specialists. It is believed by environmentalists that this will result in better outcomes for great crested newt populations. This is a positive approach to actively help newt populations into the future by the careful creation of habitat.
Here is Alice Baker, the leader of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Water Team, to explain how they are developing Great Crested Newt Habitat in Wiltshire.
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 
What a great collaborative effort! It’s win win for everyone.
Yes, it’s good to see the experts step into the crisis – and such young ones with so much of their lives still to live on this poor damaged planet. I think collaboration is the least we can do at this point.