The Lyppard Grange Ponds in Worcester have been taken over by a thick green crust covering the water and choking wildlife beneath, turning the water a garish shade of green
A 16th-century moat, now a pond in the Lyppard Grange Ponds nature reserve in Worcester, has been turned into a bright green swamp due to an invasion of duckweed. The waterway is now covered with a thick crust, suffocating the wildlife beneath.
It’s believed that invasive plants, possibly duckweed or Azolla, are responsible for this takeover. The recent heatwave has only exacerbated the weed growth, resulting in the vivid green hue.
A spokesperson for the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust said: “The recent warm temperatures will encourage algal bloom in waterbodies and the ponds here will already have quite high nutrient levels from leaf litter. Pond weed is actually good egg-laying material for great crested newts as the females wrap the vegetation around their eggs for protection.”
They added: “However, pond weed on this scale will result in oxygen depletion, which isn’t good for most aquatic wildlife. What is probably more of a threat is the litter in the pond; whilst adult newts will be out and away from the pond at this time of year, newt larvae will be developing and could become trapped within bottles and cans.”
Councillor Andrew Cross, a Green Party member on Worcester City Council, expressed his concern: “We need a decent strategy on the management of our ponds as well as our green spaces.”
He added: “It is saddening to see how much litter is left by people who don’t care for our natural environment.”
“Without the silent army of local volunteer litterpickers we would soon be knee-deep in rubbish.”
The common sight of duckweed on freshwater ponds, flooded gravel pits and old canals serves as food for ducks and shelter for spawning common frogs and common toads, but its dominance can hinder other wildlife.