Save our Pond, Moat Pond, East Grinstead, West Sussex.
The Issue
Residents of East Grinstead were appalled, distressed and angry to yet again not only read, but for some see, hundreds of dead fish in Moat Pond on Friday 4th July.
A local resident Nathan White, has for many years brought to the attention of local residents and Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC), what is required to care and maintain this important fish and wild life area in our town.
What happened last Friday was an "oxygen crash", which also occurred in 2017. Fish need oxygen to breath. Cooler water holds more oxygen, warmer water less. In addition, dying weed will also sap oxygen out of the water. At times of very hot weather both of these things can occur.
The responsibility for the maintenance and management of the pond lies with Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC). Therein lies the problem.
In order to assist with the right level of oxygen the pond would need to be aerated by a pump. Putting it quite simply it does not have one. Weed would need to be kept under control. Again putting it simply MSDC have failed to do so.
As Nathan stated, if the maintenance had been carried out and a pump installed prior to the hot weather, this awful incident could have been avoided. It is not as if MSDC have not been told and warned of this many times over the years.
Our local Independent Councillor Julie Mockford, who has been actively interested and involved in maintaining our pond over the years, expressed on behalf of residents, what should be happening on BBC South East News on July 7th. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1F6hY1wh5i/
Ponds support an extraordinary two-thirds of all freshwater species, and creating clean new ponds is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect freshwater wildlife. They are habitats for many varieties of organisms including plants, amphibians, fish, reptiles, waterfowl, insects, and even some mammals. Ponds are used for breeding grounds for these species but also as shelter and even drinking/feeding locations for other wildlife.
The neglect and lack of care over the last few years is something MSDC should be ashamed of.The residents of East Grinstead, and also those who are interested in protecting areas such as this, are quite rightly demanding proper maintenance and care of this important area in the centre of our town. It should remain a pond, and an incident like this should never happen again.
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The Issue
Residents of East Grinstead were appalled, distressed and angry to yet again not only read, but for some see, hundreds of dead fish in Moat Pond on Friday 4th July.
A local resident Nathan White, has for many years brought to the attention of local residents and Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC), what is required to care and maintain this important fish and wild life area in our town.
What happened last Friday was an "oxygen crash", which also occurred in 2017. Fish need oxygen to breath. Cooler water holds more oxygen, warmer water less. In addition, dying weed will also sap oxygen out of the water. At times of very hot weather both of these things can occur.
The responsibility for the maintenance and management of the pond lies with Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC). Therein lies the problem.
In order to assist with the right level of oxygen the pond would need to be aerated by a pump. Putting it quite simply it does not have one. Weed would need to be kept under control. Again putting it simply MSDC have failed to do so.
As Nathan stated, if the maintenance had been carried out and a pump installed prior to the hot weather, this awful incident could have been avoided. It is not as if MSDC have not been told and warned of this many times over the years.
Our local Independent Councillor Julie Mockford, who has been actively interested and involved in maintaining our pond over the years, expressed on behalf of residents, what should be happening on BBC South East News on July 7th. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1F6hY1wh5i/
Ponds support an extraordinary two-thirds of all freshwater species, and creating clean new ponds is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect freshwater wildlife. They are habitats for many varieties of organisms including plants, amphibians, fish, reptiles, waterfowl, insects, and even some mammals. Ponds are used for breeding grounds for these species but also as shelter and even drinking/feeding locations for other wildlife.
The neglect and lack of care over the last few years is something MSDC should be ashamed of.The residents of East Grinstead, and also those who are interested in protecting areas such as this, are quite rightly demanding proper maintenance and care of this important area in the centre of our town. It should remain a pond, and an incident like this should never happen again.
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Petition created on 9 July 2025