Stevenage’s wetlands—mainly the lakes in Fairlands Valley Park, along with ponds, springs, a swamp and small streams—are limited in variety but remain important for wildlife and people.
Many ponds are at risk without urgent management, though garden ponds increasingly help support local aquatic species.
The borough’s main watercourses, including Stevenage Brook, Aston End Brook and the internationally important chalk stream River Beane, are vulnerable to pollution and low flows caused by over‑abstraction. Across all wetland types, falling water levels, pollution, natural succession to scrub, and poorly informed pond management pose major threats to biodiversity.
Effective, sensitive management is needed to restore these habitats and maintain water levels. Community involvement, such as expanding the successful “adopt a pond” model used at Poplars Pond, offers a promising way to improve and safeguard Stevenage’s wetlands