Funding set to help canal charity tackle threat of invasive plant on the Montgomery Canal
With Invasive Species Week (22–28 June) underway, Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, is tackling the rapid spread of an invasive plant along the Montgomery Canal.
Water soldier, an aquatic plant native to Europe and north-west Asia, grows on the water’s surface and is threatening rare aquatic plant life in the canal which is internationally recognised as a Special Area of Conservation and as a Site of Special Scientific Interest as one of the best locations in the world for floating water plantain. While it is considered native to parts of eastern England, it has often been spread beyond its natural range through planting in ornamental ponds, from where it can escape into canals and other waterways and become highly invasive.
Thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature programme, administered by WCVA and Powys County Council, Glandŵr Cymru is set to begin work on targeting the removal of the invasive species from a 2km stretch of the canal between Arddleen and Wern. The money is supporting several environmental projects on the canal with £90,000 being invested in the removal of water-soldier.
Water soldier is having a significant impact on the important habitats and rare species within the canal. It affects water movement and prevents visitors from using the canal for activities such as canoeing and paddleboarding.
Jenny Spelling, ecologist at Glandŵr Cymru, said: “We are grateful to the Local Places for Nature Challenge Fund for enabling us to deliver this work on the Montgomery Canal. Without this action and financial support, the canal would be at risk of being overwhelmed by an invasive plant that has spread dramatically along this section.
“There have been concerns from local residents about the risk of someone falling into the water if they mistake the weed-covered surface for solid ground. We will therefore be using specialist contractors to remove large quantities of water soldier.
“As well as its fantastic heritage, the Montgomery Canal is enjoyed by people all year round and is home to some of our best-loved wildlife and rare plant life, so we’re pleased to be getting this work underway.”
John Dodwell, Chair of the Montgomery Canal Partnership, said: “This invasive plant is obstructing the passage of boats and wildlife – we hear reports of swans walking along the towpath as they cannot get through the weeds. It adversely affects what towpath walkers see. This work will therefore benefit all types of canal user.”
Glandŵr Cymru is currently restoring a four-and-a-half-mile stretch of the canal between Llanymynech and Arddleen, which has not been navigable since the 1930s. This forms part of a UK Government-supported restoration project, delivered in partnership with Powys County Council and supported by the Montgomery Canal Partnership.