Pond water levels near RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey have fallen to their lowest point in almost 20 years, according to Surrey Wildlife Trust.
Pond Farm ponds on Wisley Common, next to RHS Garden Wisley, have been drying out in recent weeks following a prolonged spell of hot and dry weather.
James Heard, Surrey Wildlife Trust’s director of reserve management, has worked at the site for 17 years and said he had “never seen a pond this low”.
“This is a very clear visual indication of the scale of the drought,” he said.
The UK is experiencing its fifth heatwave of the year, while meteorologists at Wisley have recorded no rainfall for more than 50 days.
Although temperatures were expected to ease over the weekend, the impact of the prolonged drought on Surrey’s ponds, plants and wildlife is likely to continue.
Mr Heard said there were “signs of a struggle” among vegetation surrounding the drying pond.
“In some habitats, you can see trees losing their leaves as if autumn has arrived. This is a self-defence measure,” he said.
He said the extreme conditions were “not a one-off” and that action was needed to prepare for longer periods of dry weather in the future.
“Whether you’re a sceptic or not, the data shows we’re in a more extreme situation,” Mr Heard said.
Pond Farm lies within lowland heathland, a rare habitat characterised by acidic, nutrient-poor soils.
Mr Heard said there was growing interest in helping this type of landscape retain more water, particularly ahead of increasingly dry summer months.
One potential solution is to support the return of beavers to Surrey.
“They will do the rewetting work for us. We should look to nature to help us cope better,” he said.
Surrey Wildlife Trust confirmed last year that it was considering the release of beavers in the county. The species was hunted to near extinction in Britain almost 400 years ago.
Although no release has yet taken place, Mr Heard said positive discussions with Natural England were continuing.
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Source: www.bbc.co.uk