Victory for biodiversity at once-dilapidated Midhurst green space

South Pond’s biodiversity has seen a recent surge thanks to a huge community effort.

The South Pond Group, which works to maintain the upkeep of the popular green space ran a successful event on Friday, August 26, with a talk on the area’s bat population.

The following day, a number of families took part in an ‘insect discovery day’ with a range of activities hosted at the pond.

Last year it was claimed that the park had become a ‘shadow of its former self’ when Midhurst district councillor Gordon McAra said: “Over the past decade, South Pond has been subject to ignorance, experimentation, neglect, under funding and the result is one of the town’s iconic locations is now a shadow of its former self.”

He praised the ‘exceptional’ work of the South Pond Group but said the work was not being backed up by Chichester District Council.

A spokesperson for South Ponds Group said: “The whole evening was summed up by one little boy who ran up to Anna shouting ‘I loved it’. On Saturday many families joined in the Insect Discovery Day activities at the pond.

“The children enjoyed making clay “tree” faces, bird feeders and leaf rubbings. They were particularly enthusiastic when using rubber hammers to hit leaves sandwiched between layers of cloth to make leaf prints. The smaller children also had fun with their parents doing tree identification and a scavenger hunt.

“The main attraction in the morning was the opening of the moth trap. Bob Foreman from Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre returned this year to help with their identification. Bob’s enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge of moths held his audience spellbound for several hours.

“This year the children, and some adults, helped to build a bug hotel that is now a permanent feature at the pond. We look forward to finding out who decides to take up residence over the next few years.”

'Fantastic' array of trees planted in Midhurst green-space