Westport's Wakeman Town Farm Completes 1st Phase Of Pond Restoration

WESTPORT, CT — With help from an environmental grant from Patagonia, Wakeman Town Farm in Westport recently completed the first phase of the restoration of the stormwater detention pond at the site.

The pond is located along the north side of the farm, and its rehabilitation is focused on protecting the nearby Deadman Brook and other downstream waterways from its stormwater runoff, excess nutrient impurities and mitigate urban pollutants, according to officials.

The one-acre wooded pond was built in the 1990s by the town, but over time, it experienced an overgrowth of invasive vegetation and sediment accumulation, diminishing its capacity to function properly and to provide a habitat for native flora and fauna.

Such detention ponds are designed to reduce pollution and excess nutrient runoff into natural waterways; when maintained with native flora, these ponds and their lands also become an oasis habitat for native and migratory birds. The ponds’ protection of natural waterways and their capacity to foster oasis habitat make them critical to a regenerative environment.

Phase I saw foundational land restoration efforts that began to establish a sustainable infrastructure around the pond. Work included site surveying, debris clearing, mowing, water testing, pond and flora mapping, planting cover crop and installing a fence with gate between the Farm and the pond.

Once the pond is fully functioning as intended, the farm will look to secure funding for the next phase, which includes the creation of stable walking paths around the pond as well as plant identification signage.

From the Wakeman Town Farm announcement:

A significant amount of time and expertise was donated by LandTech, a Westport-based site/civil/environmental engineering firm, to perform a bathymetric survey of the pond and its surrounding property. LandTech’s work also included teaming up with Staples High School senior interns to perform water quality testing, establishing a baseline to track remediation efforts.

Community involvement also included Master Gardeners and students of UConn’s Master Gardener Program along with LandTech who performed a detailed mapping of the area’s property, identifying native, invasive and non-native plant species.

“We are immensely grateful to Patagonia for being awarded this grant to facilitate a significant environmental project at the Farm,” said Nicole Gerber, Wakeman Town Farm Committee. “This first phase of the multi-year pond project represents the start of a necessary restoration to help rebalance the ecosystem for a flourishing pond, while also improving the surrounding area and its resiliency.”

“Wakeman Town Farm is a community hub where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities gather to learn about organic farming, sustainability and homesteading. Through this pond project, the Farm will inspire and model sustainability in action, educate visitors about wetland ecology, and the role of urban wastewater ponds in a regenerative ecosystem,” she said.

The restored pond will be a wonderful resource for Wakeman Town Farm and the community with potential programs offering environmental engineering lessons with Westport’s middle and high school science classes, wildlife habitat observation in Farm groups, plant education with Master Gardeners as well as a tranquil setting for visitors to enjoy, Gerber added.

Patagonia, an outdoor recreation clothing retailer known for its sustainable practices, funds environmental grants to organizations working to preserve and protect the environment and approach issues with a commitment to long-term change.

Wakeman Town Farm is a sustainable working farm and environmental education center. The 2.5-acre farm property serves as a community hub including a multi-purpose center with a farmhouse event kitchen, organic produce, flower fields and farm animals. Through a dedicated core of volunteers, Wakeman Town Farm provides a range of programs, activities and events for all ages to learn about organic farming, sustainability and homesteading. Learn more at wakemantownfarm.org.