The existing ones, man-made and natural (around 500,000) are in a poor state.
As a result, garden ponds are becoming an essential haven for wildlife, providing waterholes for birds and mammals and supporting many aquatic species.
Glasgow City council is naturalising small sections of some boating ponds and creating new ponds at Hogganfield and throughout the city to increase biodiversity using native plants such as Water Mint, Forget Me Not; Yellow Flag Iris, Ragged Robin and Bottle Sedge.
These plants offer shelter and shade for aquatic species and provide landing platforms for insects such as dragonfly and damselfly.
Any pond will attract wildlife but wildlife ponds are free from excessive nutrients, have been allowed to establish naturally with little disturbance and have little or no fish.
If it's in the centre of the garden then creatures leaving or entering the water are vulnerable to predators such as birds and domestic pets, so a corner of the garden away from trees but near vegetation such as flower beds or long grass and logs, will provide a safe eco route.
A shallow shelf or edge allows animals to get in and out. Frogs, toads and newts can drown if there is no way out.
Remember frogs, toads and newts live in and around ponds and in springtime there will be a flurry of activity when the amphibians return to their natural breeding grounds to mate and spawn.
However, they are best left alone and will disappear back to the undergrowth.
Amphibians are beneficial as they eat slugs and insects.
There is no need to stock a pond as once animals know it's there, they will soon make it their home.
Maintaining a wildlife pond?
There is never really a good time to clean out a wildlife pond but if maintenance is needed then a day in September or October, when breeding and spawning is over but the animals are not quite ready to hibernate, would do.
Leave any removed vegetation at side of pond so little aquatic creatures can get back into the water.
If the pond freezes over place a pot of boiling water on the ice to create an air hole.
For more, call 0141 276 0924 or visit www. froglife.org/scotland
