Canal network’s ‘ecological footprint’ mapping shows its value for nature
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Historic canals provide “vital” corridors of waterways, hedgerows and habitats for wildlife to move through the landscape, the charity which cares for them has said. The Canal & River Trust, which is responsible for 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, has mapped the “ecological footprint” of its canal network for the first time to show how it can support the UK’s struggling wildlife.
But the charity also warns the ageing canal network is at risk from the impacts of climate change such as weather extremes, as well as pollution and invasive species, and investment is needed to make them resilient for the future. The assessment shows that, alongside the homes for wildlife provided by the waterways themselves, nearly 6,000 hectares (14,600 acres) of habitats are found along the canals, connecting urban settings with woodlands and forests, lakes, grasslands, and smaller areas of heathland and cropland.
There are 1,421 kilometres (882 miles) of hedges and hedgerows with trees alongside canals, more than half of which are rich in native species. A report from the charity on the impact England and Wales’ network of canals and rivers has on people, nature and places also highlights that the waterways include 304 conservation areas and 68 protected areas known as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
