Volunteers clear Haydon End pond to protect great crested newts

Swindon Borough Council said on Thursday 17 September 2026 that volunteers had spent a day working on a pond in Haydon End to improve it for great crested newts, one of the UK's rarest amphibians.

The volunteers worked alongside Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the council. They removed rubbish, managed vegetation and created habitat features. The council said the exceptionally dry summer had let them reach parts of the pond that are normally under water, before water levels return later in the year.

What is the Swindon Forest Meadows project?

The pond day was part of Swindon Forest Meadows, a long-running partnership between the Trust and the council. It supports a network of around 25 ponds in Swindon that are home to great crested newts.

Neil Pullen, Conservation Officer at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: "volunteers make a huge contribution to nature recovery in Swindon." He said the project has welcomed more than 50 volunteers, and that some have gone on to gain specialist training and licences for work with protected species.

Councillor Jake Chandler, the council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategy, Resilience and Green Infrastructure, said: "Projects like this are incredibly important for protecting and enhancing biodiversity across Swindon."

How to take part

The council said volunteers can also help with meadows, woodlands, tree planting and tree care across Swindon. Details are on the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website.

Source: Swindon Borough Council.