Behind our house is a small pond that I want to restore as a biotope. Life became busy, and after leaving the pond mostly to nature, the wildlife gradually disappeared and sludge built up 😰
As I wrote in the earlier post “Biotope Pond | Reviving a Mud-Choked Pond for Wildlife”, I want to turn this place back into a biotope—a pond where living creatures can make their home.
Japan’s Ministry of the Environment also lists ponds, wetlands, grasslands, and satoyama woodlands as examples of biotopes in its environmental white paper section on “Wildlife Habitats (Biotopes)”.
▼ Before restoration: fallen leaves had accumulated and turned the pond into a sludge-filled basin.
▼ It was around the beginning of spring when I finally made up my mind to scoop out the sludge and begin restoring the pond.
■ Gradually Improving the Waterside Habitat
▼ Even after the biotope work began, bubbles continued rising from the sludge on the pond bottom.
So I planted aquatic plants and, as a temporary aid, used a small aeration device to send air into the water, trying to improve the water conditions little by little. Once the pond becomes stable in the future, I plan to remove the aeration equipment.
■ Wildlife Has Returned to the Biotope!
▼ About two months later, I quietly peeked into the pond—and frogs and tadpoles had come back! 😃
I am really happy! Little by little, it feels as though the waterside habitat is beginning to return as a biotope.
▼ There are tadpoles too!
▼ The medaka rice fish are also doing well. I released them into the pond about a month ago.
There used to be Japanese fire-bellied newts here as well. I hope they come back soon!
This small biotope began as a sludge-filled pond. As summer approaches, I cannot wait to see what other creatures might return!