How to fight diversity loss

My last post on Aug 20th identified loss of habitat as an important cause of diversity loss.
One of a series of publications by English Nature called "Garden Ponds and boggy areas: havens for wildlife" shows how the numbers of ponds has decreased from about 1,250,000 in 1890 to about 400,000 in 2005.
The loss is said to be due to intensive agriculture and land drainage, neglect and lack of management. Clearly urban growth is also a factor.
The aim of the booklet is to inspire anyone without a garden pond to create one and to advise on how to do it.
It gives good reasons to take this advice. For example.
Garden ponds help compensate for the general loss of ponds.
They are a haven for freshwater plants and animals.
They provide a drinking place for birds and insects which are food for bats.
They provide an educational resource for children and adults through out the seasons.
In short, English Nature claim that "If you want to see plenty of wildlife close to home, put in a garden pond."
The booklet can be obtained either by post or by downloading a copy from their web site.

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/about/access/

I should add that there are two other booklets in the same series which show how important even small ponds are in any garden.They are:"Dragonflies and Damseflies in your garden."and"Minibeasts in your garden"