Pondwatch JE 2024 - Free Training Event

The annual Pondwatch training event returns for its sixth year in 2024.

Date and Time: Saturday, February 17 · 10am - 4pm.

Location: Frances Le Sueur Centre, St Ouen.

Reserve your place via Eventbrite

What is Pondwatch JE?

Pondwatch JE is a project that aims to gather sightings of Jersey’s pond life to help assess their conservation status, distribution and habitat requirements.

How can you help?

There are opportunities for everyone to get involved. Depending on your interest, available time and experience you can currently get involved in two ways.

Level 1

Spend 30 minutes looking for wildlife in ponds and send us your results here. No experience or training is required but we recommend that you attend the annual training event (details below) to find out more about the survey and the incredible diversity of wildlife that ponds support.

Level 2

Carry out 5 surveys, each taking 30‒60 minutes. You will search for amphibians and other pond life at a pond using three methods; visual searches, netting and night time torch surveys. You do not need experience but you will need to attend a training event.

Training

An in-person training event is held at the start of the Pondwatch survey season each year.

The 2024 training event will take place on Saturday 17th February 2024 from 10am - 4pm at the Frances Le Sueur Centre, St Ouen.

This free event is open everyone although we ask that anyone wishing to attend reserves a place via Eventbrite

Schedule of the day:​

9:45 – Arrival /Coffee

10:00 – Welcome and Introduction to Pondwatch JE ​

10:10 - Jon Rault – Jersey Biodiversity Centre- Newts in Jersey​

10:25 – ​Tina Hull – How to spot pesky plants (invasive non-native plants in ponds and how to avoid spreading them further)

10:40 - John Wilkinson – Amphibian and Reptile Conservation - Pond Life identification ​

11:00 – Jon Rault – Jersey Biodiversity Centre - Level 1 – Pondwatch - Pond survey methods and data recording ​

Comfort break

11:20 - Jon Rault Jersey Biodiversity Centre - Level 1 – Pondwatch - Pond survey methods and data recording ​

​11:45 - John Wilkinson – Amphibian and Reptile Conservation - Level 2 – Pondwatch - Pond survey methods including habitat assessment, health & safety, biosecurity

11:25 – Liz Walsh - Level 2 online data recording ​

12:30 - John Wilkinson – Level 2 -Pondwatch Field Session -​Demonstration, practical session and questions

​13:30 – Lunch & Sign up ​

During the lunch break there will be an opportunity sign up, discuss ponds sites and allocate ponds if needed. Once signed up you can take equipment and sign the relevant forms.

Note: Light refreshments will be provided. Unfortunately we are unable to cater for specific dietary requirements.

Please don't forget to wear appropriate clothing and bring some wellington boots and waterproofs to be able to participate in the field session.

What if I don't have a pond of my own?

If you don't have a pond of your own to survey the PondwatchJE team can allocate you one. Please speak to one of the team at the training event or alternatively contact wildaboutjersey@gov.je.

PondWatchJE Partners: Government of Jersey, Jersey Biodiversity Centre, Jersey Amphibian and Reptile Group (JARG), Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC). 

History: 

Pondwatch JE is the successor to both the National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) which ran in Jersey from 2007 to 2018 and Toadwatch which ran from 2005 to 2018. During this time volunteers provided a great deal of information which has been used to inform the design of Pondwatch as well as influence efforts to protect the species. 2024 is Pondwatch’s 6th Anniversary.