The Ecology Consultancy has been contracted by Natural England to test selected Suffolk ponds for the presence of Great Crested Newts. The survey will help Natural England create maps of suitable areas for Great Crested Newts which will be used to promote a scheme, called "District Level Licensing", which aims to create new Great Crested Newt habitat.
The method is non-intrusive, using up-to-date eDNA technology. At each pond, 20 water samples are taken, mixed and then divided into six aliquots for sequencing. On 30th May, Beth Holmes and Sandy Fisher came to Simpson's Fromus Valley Reserve to take samples from our Long Pond and Round Pond. We know, from sightings of live newts, and eggs in folded leaves, that the species is present in both ponds. So this exercise will be a fair test of the methodology !
In the picture above, Beth samples the Long Pond.
Beth Holmes and Sandy Fisher at Simpson's Fromus Reserve You can visit their website here.
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