ABOUT

Bacon Factory Pond is a community space leased by Wheatsheaf Angling Club from Sherburn town council and run entirely by volunteers.

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Bacon Factory Pond  was created to improve and promote use of the green space within Sherburn in Elmet. 

The Wheatsheaf angling club will provide a safe and attractive open green space, managing the land to conserve and enhance the natural environment maintaining access and footpaths, for the benefit of the natural environment and the public.

It will manage and maintain opportunities for recreation, including fishing and other activities, and work with local community groups, residents’ associations and educational bodies offering volunteering opportunities to help maintain and enhance the site and to engage in activities related to the wildlife and ecological conservation on the site.

The club will seek to secure diverse community involvement, promote a greater knowledge and understanding of the environmental and conservation value of the site and provide educational opportunities to the end.

Local people will have access to a well-maintained natural environment, with well managed amenities for the purpose of recreational activities including exercise, dog walking, fishing and relaxation.

There will be increased opportunities for the local community engagement to improve the conservation and preservation of wildlife and the natural environment.

Residents particularly children will be able to access educational and learning opportunities related to the site and conservation.

The company’s surplus will be utilised to improve the bacon factory Pond and the surrounding area for public benefit and to enhance community use of the space.

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Our Aims Are:

• To improve the are to provide a safe and accessible space for all members of the local community to enjoy

• To work to attract a wide variety of birds, mammals and amphibians by improving habitats and access to food sources

• To preserve and improve the fishing pond for the benefit of the local community

• To provide educational activities for children and conservation opportunities for local volunteers.

Future Conservation.

It is vitally important that any future conservation work concerning angling enjoys the benefit of the existing wealth of local knowledge and expertise, acquired over many years, combined with the knowledge and modern technical expertise, such as that provided by agencies such as the Environment Agency and The Angling Trust will go a long way to ensure that the venue can be enjoyed by anglers for many years to come, without compromising the natural environment. The aim will be to ensure the long term viability of the pond as a diverse water habitat within the full site, which will include a viable fishing venue

The Pond and its environs needs to be improved , restored and managed for the benefit of birds, mammals and insects as well as the fish so creating a biodiverse habitat which is welcoming and attractive to all.

Future Management Essential The aim is to maintain and enhance the fishery and the biodiversity of the pond and the woodland surrounding the pond. This should be read in conjunction with the E.A. Fishery Report

1. Maintain a Bailiffing team which is affiliated to the Angling Trust

2. Maintain and manage the fishery.

3. Site a Screened Vandal proof Office on site with storage for Bailiffs to work from and Coaching equipment to be stored. This enforces the perceived presence of a Management team and improves security on site as well as giving the Bailiffs ,Coaching team and Volunteers a base to work from

. 4. The banksides to be reinstated, fishing pegs to be made less visually intrusive.

5. Bankside to be mown regularly as Amenity area to re establish wild flowers.

6. Easy access pegs to be created. The pond can suffer from a lack of oxygen due to decomposition of organic material, the lower oxygen capacity of warmer water in summer and restricted airflow across the pond. This can result in distress to the fish or fish mortality. Increasing surface water movement and introducing oxygenating plants will improve oxygen levels and therefore water quality.

7. Clear-out debris from margins.

8. Improve botanical diversity at the pond margins by reinstating the margins as required and planting appropriate marginal plants particularly Reeds, Bullrush and appropriate Water lilies.

 9. Allow natural regeneration of flora to avoid colonisation by invasive non- native species and once established control plants in small areas at a time in autumn and winter (Natural England, 2010 Generally improve the habitat around the pond particularly the habitat for invertebrates and birds.

10.Annually inspect the trees surrounding the pond.

11.Maintain the trees around the pond to increase the airflow across the pond .

12.Increase wildlife biodiversity by creating shallow areas to the pond using existing deadwood and branches and coir matting to provide substrate for macrophyte plant species.

13.Prevent excessive deposition of brashings around pond.

14.Maintain access around the pond - Cut grass on bankside monthly and install some benches

15.Improve availability of safety equipment around the pond

16.Prevent the use of excessive amounts of bait

17.Control Rat population

18.Species survey and restock as required