Canal’s £250k boost to protect rare plants 

Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, has received a grant from the Nature Networks Fund to maintain a restored stretch of the Montgomery Canal through Welshpool.

The £250,000 grant will help the UK’s largest waterways charity to protect rare plant and animal species by removing areas of silt and dense vegetation growing over the channel, improving water quality and keeping navigation clear to also benefit the Heulwen Trust, a charity that offers free trips along the canal on their adapted trip boat for those who are less abled.

It will also help boost populations of rare plants by collecting samples and propagating them for reintroduction back to the canal corridor.

The funding from the Nature Networks Programme is being delivered by the Heritage Fund on behalf of the Welsh Government.

David Morgan, development manager for Glandŵr Cymru, explained: “The funding will deliver improvements that will mean this section of restored canal continues to be navigable for boats and brings benefits for local people and biodiversity.

“We’re going to be dredging to remove silt and improve the navigation for the Heulwen Trust’s boats.

“The canal is well-known for its rare plant species. By removing invasive species this will reduce plant competition and we’ll also be pruning overhanging trees to reduce shadowing and so improve species diversity.

“The funding will also enable us to install dams, known as leaky dams, a type of natural flood management, that will help prevent silt entering the canal from nearby streams while also erecting some fencing to protect the banks of the canal.

“We’ll also be improving access to nature at Newtown and the Wern Claypits nature reserve, where new interpretation boards are being installed and bridge repairs will be taking place on the boardwalk.”

John Dodwell, chair of the Montgomery Canal Partnership, said: “We at the Montgomery Canal Partnership are very pleased that Glandŵr Cymru have been successful in getting this funding.

“The 13 miles of the Canal which have already been restored around Welshpool need maintaining and this money will help to remove silt and invasive weeds. It’s especially important that the charity trip boats run by the Heulwen Trust for disabled and other people can continue to operate and introduce people to nature.

“Coupled with other exciting plans, we look forward to the day when Welshpool is again connected to Llanymynech by a fully restored canal.”

Gareth Thomas from the Heulwen Trust added: “The Heulwen Trust is thrilled with the wonderful news of the grant from the Nature Networks Fund to support the maintenance of a restored stretch of the Montgomery Canal near Welshpool.

“This funding will help to ensure a well-maintained waterway, significantly advancing the Trust’s charitable mission. Our trip boats will continue to provide access for individuals who may face challenges in enjoying the outdoors, allowing them to experience the joys of boating and the natural beauty of the canal.

“We are excited to know that many more passengers will have the opportunity to explore the blue-green corridor of “the Monty” up close for many years to come.”

To learn more about Glandŵr Cymru's work, and to find out about how you can support through donations or volunteering, visit canalrivertrust.org.uk.