Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 31/12/2025More on US reduced protection of small waters: freshwater-science.org/news/sfs-res...freshwater-science.orgSFS Response Letter on Changes to Waters of the U.S. Definition | Society for Freshwater ScienceDecember 30, 2025 — The Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) today released a letter outlining changes to the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) definition and our response. 000
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 10/09/2025The Freshwater Network......the background detail. 000
Reposted by Jeremy BiggsPalustris @palustris.bsky.social · 23/07/2025This pond on industrial site was full of well-grown Crested Newt tadpoles. Always struck by what big, chunky, bull-necked creatures they are compared to little wizened metamorphs they become after leaving the water. One benefit of these brownfield ponds is no dog access=no insecticide contamination. 0201
Reposted by Jeremy BiggsPalustris @palustris.bsky.social · 22/07/2025Water pH is highly dynamic so to say a pond or small lake "has a pH of X" is misleading. At the moment I'm getting a lot of unexpectedly high readings. This is due to intense photosynthesis in strong sunshine - plants (macrophytes or algae) use up dissolved CO2 (H2CO3), reducing acidity/raising pH. 1242
Reposted by Jeremy BiggsFreshwater Habitats Trust @freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social · 23/05/2025Big conversations about small catchments 💡 Yesterday's Headstart event brought together leading figures from the water and environmental sectors to move forward on a strategy to clean up Britain’s water systems – by starting at the top. Find out more: freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/headsta... 011
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 20/05/2025Protect freshwater biodiversity by building the Freshwater Network with us: freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/bold-ne...freshwaterhabitats.org.ukBold new plan to reverse the decline in freshwater wildlifeFreshwater Habitats Trust has a bold new plan to reverse the decline in freshwater wildlife within 10 years. 061
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 25/04/2025This made me laugh out loud! www.pestcontrolinlondon.co.uk/get-rid-of-d....pestcontrolinlondon.co.ukHow Do I Get Rid of Dragonflies in My Garden? - Pest ExterminatorsLearn the effective methods to get rid of dragonflies from your garden. Maintain plant health and create a comfortable outdoor environment with these tips 110
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 23/04/2025Today, we've officially launched the Freshwater Network: freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/bold-ne...: if you're interested, get in touch and we can work together.freshwaterhabitats.org.ukBold new plan to reverse the decline in freshwater wildlifeFreshwater Habitats Trust has a bold new plan to reverse the decline in freshwater wildlife within 10 years. 074
Reposted by Jeremy BiggsFreshwater Habitats Trust @freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social · 09/04/2025Along with CEO's from 31 other conservation organisations, our CEO Professor Jeremy Biggs signed this letter to express our concerns over the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, including the risk it poses to irreplaceable habitats ⤵️ 052
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 22/03/2025Looking forward to reading this paper carefully as we are doing a lot of work on floodplains; especially useful will be the authors take on managing polluted (river) water inputs onto floodplains, which can be pretty bad in many areas where we (Freshwater Habitats Trust) work. 050
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 21/03/2025Worried about the Planning and Infrastructure Bill? We are, but one way to get the best from the Bill is to ensure experts in NGOs and the private sector can get involved to help Natural England do good job - see Freshwater Habitats Trust viewpoint: freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/what-wi...freshwaterhabitats.org.ukWhat will the Planning and Infrastructure Bill mean for freshwater? - Freshwater Habitats TrustThe Planning and Infrastructure Bill, introduced to Parliament on 11th March, proposes sweeping changes to the way development’s impacts on nature are assessed and mitigated. 033
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 21/03/2025Recent data from NRW shows how SAC rivers in Wales are faring in terms of phosphorus pollution. We're working on the R. Irfon SAC where, a little to everyone's surprise, 2024 monitoring data show all the monitored lengths are reaching the high standard for phosphate required. 200
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 21/03/2025This threat to Castor Hanglands nature reserve is worrying, not least because it has the richest pond in Britain - Castor Hanglands Main Pond: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... - for more about a really amazing waterbody, see freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/ponds-p...bbc.co.ukWildlife Trust objects to new homes plan near PeterboroughA special joint scrutiny committee will be held to discuss the draft plan today. 031
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 15/03/2025Mat of Common Frog (Rana temporaria) spawn in Bagley Wood, Oxon about 8 square metres ina area which is about 500 clumps (and therefore females) - see www.thebhs.org/publications... 1131
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 10/03/2025Here's a v. recent and useful paper that builds on our 2004 work (www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...) comparing biodiversity in ponds with other freshwater habitat types. The new study (www.frontiersin.org/journals/pla...) looks at wetland plant diversity in Central European agricultural... 130
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 07/03/2025My garden pond - awaiting frogs (and already with lots of Limnephilus lunatus - though you can't see them in this pic). Here in the surprisingly cold centre of England (this is Abingdon near Oxford) first dates have usually been March 1st-14th. 091
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 28/02/2025Question 169 in the Cunliffe Review: consult.defra.gov.uk/independent-... 021
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 28/02/2025This should be interesting - looking forward to it. 020
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 25/02/2025More interesting and important results from @ukceh.bsky.social on changes to river invertebrate communities - although note that the team says "However, there has been little significant further improvement since then" (the early 2000s, that is - also known as 20 years ago!). 121
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 22/02/2025Great work in one of the UKs hottest of freshwater biodiversity hotspots: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article.... As we all know ponds are magic!bbc.co.ukDormant seeds from Watton Ice Age pond project germinateThe seeds found between sediment layers have now germinated to bring back ancient aquatic plants. 172
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 15/02/2025The Mirror reports on our District Licensing scheme for great crested newts - a great way to protect newts and freshwater biodiversity more generally: www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...mirror.co.ukMinisters urged to back plan for saving newts without headaches for buildersThe great crested newt is a protected species, but this means developers often have to go through months of red tape to identify their locations before they can put a shovel in the ground 141
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 15/02/2025You'll probably also enjoy this new paper by Patrick Armitage and colleagues on the value of small freshwaters: www.researchgate.net/profile/Dave...researchgate.net 092
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 14/02/20254 key messages from the OEP assessment of the Environmental Improvement Plan: www.theoep.org.uk/sites/defaul...: 1. Small waters "make up a significant proportion of the water environment" 2. "While polluted rivers are improving, the most diverse and least impacted streams are declining in quality"theoep.org.uk 111
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 12/02/2025Julie Fahy’s PhD défense in Geneva is about to start. 100
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 12/02/2025As well as being CEO at FHT, I'm also a Director of the Newt Conservation Partnership - and you can see some of the latest news here (though you'll have to go on X to look at it😂😂): x.com/NewtPartners...x.comx.com 010
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 12/02/2025"Many pond naturalists and scientists have been, and are, women (perhaps they are less intimidated by the small size of ponds, than are men). Early proponents include Lucy Howland, Edna Lind and Mary Laurie who made some of the first serious observations on ponds." See: bit.ly/42Tb89charpercollins.comPonds, Pools and Puddles (Collins New Naturalist Library)Ponds and pools are a common feature of our landscape – there are at least ten times as many ponds as lakes in the UK – and they are also important wildlife habitats. This book provides a comprehensiv... 040
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 11/02/2025It's that time of the year again, with some nice pics to celebrate. You can join in here: freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/pondnet...freshwaterhabitats.org.ukPondNet Spawn Survey 2025We’re inviting people to get involved in the PondNet Spawn Survey 2025 by recording Common Frog and Common Toad spawn. 043
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 10/02/2025Really useful to have Judy's latest report on progress with the conservation of the Creeping Marshwort - including at Cutteslowe Meadow where we made ponds with Oxford City Council and Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment back in 2004. 020
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 07/02/2025Next Wednesday I'll be talking to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee about nitrogen in freshwaters and the new approaches we need to develop to protect freshwater biodiversity. committees.parliament.uk/committee/51... Programme here: committees.parliament.uk/work/8898/ni...committees.parliament.ukEnvironment and Climate Change Committee launches new inquiry into nitrogen - Committees - UK ParliamentThe Environment and Climate Change Committee has launched an inquiry into nitrogen. 152
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 07/02/2025We were pleased to help An Taisce (Ireland) get the Irish Pond Manual together. x.com/AnTaisce/sta... 0101
Reposted by Jeremy BiggsPalustris @palustris.bsky.social · 07/02/2025Stands Great Fen Sedge have been a focus for Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler activity at Flasks Fen in recent months, the dense winter-green foliage provide shelter after the Common Reed has died down. 0183
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 06/02/2025Thanks to Tony Juniper for some supportive remarks about newts and development www.linkedin.com/posts/tony-j.... The ponds were created by the NSP/NCP/FHT/ARC partnership with thanks also to our rewilding friends at Nattergal who made it possible on their land. 000
Reposted by Jeremy BiggsDr Astrid Biddle @astridbiddle.bsky.social · 04/02/2025Looking at the environmental data, I can see that it's a chemical failure on Mercury and its Compounds and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers. I guess the mercury originates from mining operations. The PBDEs, however, are entirely man-made. 101
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 04/02/2025Interesting results from the always interesting @palustris.bsky.social. 020
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 04/02/2025We had a fun trip to the Lake District looking at little ponds (there are probably thousands like this, full of water beetles, caddis and Glyceria but not on any map), as well as some bigger rivers (this is the Borrow Beck which, oddly, is only Good - not High - status: anyone know why?) 161
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 31/01/2025By now, everyone’s probably aware that the Government’s speech-writers love taking cheap shots at newts. Here's what we think about this at Freshwater Habitats Trust! freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/are-new... 0184
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 28/01/2025Another opportunity to come to work with us.... 020
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 26/01/2025Given the importance of ponds for freshwater biodiversity the spread of goldfishes must be a worrying prospect for North American freshwater biologists and water managers. 151
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 26/01/2025Important paper: "Overall, [conservation] actions elicit little improvement in river biodiversity, in contrast with reports from terrestrial and marine ecosystems". This is why Freshwater Habitats Trust is focusing on what really makes a difference for freshwater biodiversity including using....sciencedirect.com 151
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 25/01/2025This SSSI in Bucks has two ponds we made for the critically endangered Starfruit. On the left is "Penny pond" (by a path) with no Starfruit. On the right, "Jeremy pond" which is hidden from the path and does have Starfruit (this is 2023 - Starfruit didn't show in 2024). Zoom in on the sign! 151
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 25/01/2025One of my best pics of the effects of dog (p287 of harpercollins.co.uk/products/pon...) 030
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 24/01/2025Important from the OEP (www.theoep.org.uk) on Opportunities for Improvement: "The prospect of ELM schemes on their own reducing water pollution sufficiently to achieve the Environment Act 21 target on agriculture water is limited. This reduces the prospect of stabilising and then increasing....."theoep.org.ukOffice for Environmental Protection | Office for Environmental Protection 100
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 24/01/2025Important words from the OEP for achieving Clean and Plentiful Water targets under the Environment Act 2021: Recommendation 1: Defra should improve the prospects of meeting EA21 targets for water by clearly setting out in a revised Environmental Improvement Plan interim targets that... 110
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 24/01/2025And here's another common effect of dogs: damage to ponds, one of the highest value freshwater ecosystems, in high quality sites like here in the New Forest. Source: markavery.info/2024/05/12/s... 12612
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 23/01/2025It's taken a long time for T.T. "Kit" Macan's observation to begin to change - but that's really beginning to happen now. Despite this Government watchdog the OEP noted recently that "trends in small waters, which make up a significant proportion of the water environment, are poorly understood". 010
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Important paper on the role of nitrogen in shallow lake nutrient pollution: www.cell.com/the-innovati.... Nitrogen is important, as well as phosphorus.cell.comExperimental evidence of the role of nitrogen for eutrophication in shallow lakes: A long-term climate effect mesocosm studyThe effectiveness of controlling nitrogen (N) loading (in addition to phosphorus [P]) to manage the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems has been debated despite the role of N in producing algal bioma... 042
Jeremy Biggs @jeremybiggs.bsky.social · 21/01/2025@iand777.bsky.social is doing a very nice line in birds visiting his garden pond - well worth scrolling back through earlier posts... 110