Bringing Wildlife Back: How Poundbury Rotary Helped Transform the Community Farm Ponds

When Poundbury Rotary Club members rolled up their sleeves at the Community Farm recently, they weren't just digging holes—they were creating habitats, educational opportunities, and a lasting legacy for the community.

The project? - Renovating a second pond at the Community Farm, following their successful first pond restoration two years ago. What started as a bullrush, leaking problem is being transformed into a thriving water feature that will benefit both wildlife and the wider community for years to come.

More Than Just a Pond

The Community Farm in Poundbury, established in 2010 by Transition Town Dorchester, has always been about bringing people together. It's a place where neighbours share growing space, tools, knowledge, and harvests—exploring what sustainable living really means in practice. At the permaculture site, Dorchester area residents participate in food growing and husbandry, school groups visit for environmental projects, and dedicated groups come for mental health recovery.

For the Farm team, healthy ponds aren't just nice to have—they're essential. Ponds dramatically boost local wildlife and biodiversity while creating rich opportunities for hands-on learning with children and community groups. But their existing ponds had seen better days.

Community Partnerships in Action

This is where Poundbury Rotary stepped in, as part of their ongoing programme of practical projects supporting local organisations. But they didn't just write a cheque—they got stuck in.

The team secured a Rotary Foundation grant to cover the main expense: new liners and underlay. Then the real Rotary magic happened. Through their community connections, members sourced donated sand and paving slabs from local businesses and arranged for digger support—which proved absolutely essential when it came time to remove years of accumulated debris, old liners, bullrushes, and vegetation.

The work became a true collaboration.  With guidance from Dorset Wildlife Trust, the Rotary members and Farm volunteers worked side by side to deepen and extend the pond's contours and then carefully laid the new liner.

The renovated pond will gradually fill naturally, with finishing touches to the edges planned once the liner has properly settled. But the real impact goes far beyond water and wildlife.

The pond restoration project aligns perfectly with Dorchester Town Council's ambition to achieve Watermark status, recognising the town's water features and their importance to the local environment. More importantly, it creates a living classroom where children can observe newts, frogs, dragonflies, and countless other species up close—sparking curiosity about the natural world. This project demonstrates that communities aren't built by watching from the sidelines—they're created by people willing to grab a spade, lay a liner, or simply show up and help.

Get Involved

Stories like this show what's possible when community organisations work together. Poundbury Rotary Club is always looking for new members who want to make a practical difference locally. Whether you have skills to share, connections to leverage, or simply time and enthusiasm, there's a place for you. The Community Farm is run by volunteers and is open to everyone, whether you fancy getting your hands dirty, learning about sustainable growing, or simply want to be part of building a resilient community.

Want to join Poundbury Rotary? Click here.

Want to support or volunteer at the Community Farm? Click here.

Interested in knowing more about volunteering opportunities with the Community Association of Poundbury? Visit our Volunteering & Projects webpage or email volunteering@lovepoundbury.org