Every year the Canal & River Trust removes over 2,500 tonnes of invasive weed, at a cost of more than £1 million. The charity’s teams are already preparing for action, readying the fleet of boats that will scoop weed from the water before it can spread further. Over the summer, they will be out every day fighting the spread of the invasive weed. However, with climate pressures increasing, the charity is urging more people to get involved, either by volunteering or supporting its work.
Julie Sharman, chief operating officer at the Canal & River Trust, said: “The changing climate is making our role to protect our canals even more complex, with hotter, wetter conditions supercharging weed growth. Our colleagues and volunteers are already preparing for the relentless task of clearing it. Without their urgent action – and without proper investment – Britain’s historic canals risk being overwhelmed.”
The quantity of aquatic weed closely correlates with temperature and sunshine hours. Typically, there is a delay of a week or two before a surge in weed growth. Warmer springs are increasing the growing months for the weeds, and the hotter weather and fiercer storms that are becoming more common due to climate change are making the problem worse. Weed likes high temperatures, along with plenty of rain that washes nutrient from the surrounding land into the waterways – with the recent weather providing ideal incubating conditions for a potentially record-breaking summer of weed ahead.
While the most common way to remove large quantities of aquatic weed is by ‘weed harvesting’ boats, in some areas the Trust’s ecologists are introducing a very special weevil to help eradicate floating pennywort and water fern. These plant-munchers effectively reduced vast quantities in a matter of weeks, offering a natural alternative to chemical sprays and mechanical removal. Hand-removal of floating pennywort is also very effective, and there are plenty of opportunities for volunteers to get involved.
