What are the benefits of canals and rivers?

What do canals and rivers do for us?

Our lives have never been busier. Access to green or blue spaces in our towns and cities has never been more limited, and we are facing big challenges to do with the environment and climate. Canals can help us tackle these problems.

While motorways, trains and planes mean we no longer need these waterways to get goods around the country, canals are still incredibly important to our lives.

They make us feel better

Our research shows that spending time by water makes us happier and healthier. They give us a place to relax with friends and family or somewhere to go for a walk, jog, ride or cast a line.

They help us get closer to nature

Rivers are a vital part of the earth’s ecosystem. Along with canals, they support a fantastic variety of nature and wildlife - providing homes and food for creatures including birds, bats and bullfrogs.

Best of all, these nature-rich spaces are where we are. You haven’t got to travel for hours, you can feed ducks, spy a heron or, if you are very lucky, spot an otter at the end of your street.

They help us get around

As well as reducing our carbon footprint, our towpaths give more than 9 million people ready-access to traffic-free routes to walk our children to school, get to the shops or to work.

They connect us with our past

This 2,000 mile network is the finest example of industrial heritage in the world. 2,700 listed structures, 50 scheduled ancient monuments and four UNESCO world heritage sites - there is 250 years of living, working history on your doorstep.

They can power our homes and cool our cities

From producing hydropower to capturing carbon and heat, the waterways we care for can help us tackle some of the country’s biggest challenges.