A LOCAL landscaping company has begun the new year by highlighting the role wildlife ponds can play in supporting nature across local gardens.

Outerspaces Ponds and Landscaping, based in Lydbrook, completed its first new pond of 2026 despite challenging winter weather, reflecting a growing focus on wildlife-friendly garden projects across the Forest.

Wildlife ponds provide valuable habitats for frogs, toads and newts, while also offering drinking and bathing water for birds and small mammals.

Insects such as dragonflies, beetles and pond skaters rely on still water to complete their life cycles, making ponds an important feature in supporting biodiversity.

As natural ponds and wetlands have declined in recent decades, garden ponds can help replace some of the habitats that have been lost. Even small ponds can make a difference, acting as stepping stones that allow wildlife to move between gardens, woodland and surrounding countryside.

Ponds can also bring practical benefits for homeowners. During periods of heavy rainfall, they can help absorb excess water and reduce surface runoff, an issue experienced in parts of the Forest of Dean during wetter months.

Alongside environmental benefits, wildlife ponds often become a focal point in gardens. As plants establish and water levels settle, ponds change through the seasons, offering opportunities to observe wildlife at close quarters.

Careful planning and the use of native planting can help ensure ponds remain healthy and attractive throughout the year.

Outerspaces has worked across the Forest of Dean for more than four decades and has recently been involved in wider conversations around pond restoration and freshwater habitats. Restoring older ponds, as well as creating new ones, can both contribute to supporting wildlife when managed and maintained over time.

With interest in wildlife-friendly gardens continuing into 2026, ponds remain one of the simplest ways for residents to support nature at home.