Joe's Pond

It was originally notified, as Nicholson's Pond, in 1968. Its main feature is a deep freshwater pond, but the surrounding area contains a variety of habitats that provides shelter for over 140 species of birds and other wildlife. The pond occupies the site of a former open-cast coal mine. It was leased in 1951 by one Joe Wilson, who began to manage it for wildlife and from whom the site derives its name. It was purchased in 1970 by the Durham Wildlife Trust, which manages it in conjunction with the adjoining Rainton Meadows nature reserve. The site actually consists of three ponds: the smallest (the "Balancing Pond") helps to prevent pollution of the main pond by trapping seepage from…