MPs and environmental leaders urge Government to recognise small waters

Forty MPs from four political parties, led by Chris Hinchliff MP, have joined Freshwater Habitats Trust, Wildlife and Countryside Link and 15 other environmental organisations in calling on the Government to recognise and protect ponds, headwater streams and small lakes in upcoming water policy reforms.

The letter, coordinated by Chris Hinchliff, MP for North East Hertfordshire, recognises small waters as the unsung heavy hitters of biodiversity, noting: “Small waters, including ponds, headwater streams and small lakes, are a major part of England’s freshwater environment and critically important for biodiversity. Because of their small catchments, small waters are more likely to contain clean water and support the species which rely on this ever-diminishing resource.”

The Labour Government’s upcoming Clean Water Bill will provide an opportunity to improve the protections for these vital habitats which make up the majority of England’s freshwater.

Chris Hinchliff MP said: “It’s easy for Governments to focus on the biggest projects, the newest fighter jets or the fastest trains and lose sight of the things which, while less shiny or sensational, quietly keep the country going. Small waters fall into this category. They’re the post office or library of our natural world: small in stature but big in impact. Modest, but performing vital work. And like those services, you only realise just how important they are once they’re gone.”

The letter points to the exclusion of small waters from proper monitoring and management by the Government. This has led to a lack of investment in simple, cost-effective actions like pond creation, undermining nature recovery.

It calls on the Government to recognise the value of small waters to England’s nature recovery goals by bringing them into the Water Framework Directive.

Chris continued: “Introducing basic monitoring is a practical, deliverable step the Government can take to recognise the value of small waters to our biodiversity. It’s low cost, but the benefits could ripple across our natural environment for years to come. Small waters are one of the most overlooked opportunities for nature recovery, helping protect the streams, ponds and headwaters that have been neglected for too long.

“It’s a campaign that really matters, and one that will resonate not just in rural constituencies like ours, but right across the country, because everyone understands that the biggest difference is often made by the sum of many small changes.”

Professor Jeremy Biggs, CEO of Freshwater Habitats Trust said: “Small waters – like ponds, small lakes and headwater streams – have long been undervalued and overlooked. Yet these small habitats make up more than three-quarters of England’s freshwater environment and a growing body of research shows they support more freshwater species than larger waterbodies. It’s time that the law caught up with the evidence. By including small waters in upcoming water reforms, the Government has the opportunity to bring back clean water and threatened freshwater wildlife to England’s landscapes.”

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link said: “Cleaning up and restoring ponds, headwaters and small streams can bring wildlife blazing back into the landscape but they’ve been neglected because of a gap in the law. Groups like Freshwater Habitats Trust have proven how effective reviving small waters can be. Now we’re asking Parliament to fix the law so that these small but mighty changes take place in water catchments countrywide.”