Regional Round-up South - August 2025

This time, we’re looking at the aftermath of a chemical spill, a unique sculpture and some rare plants.

Walsall Canal reopens after chemical spill

In June, we celebrated the reopening of the Walsall Canal to boats after a devastating chemical spill forced its closure. A one-mile stretch, from Pleck to Walsall Top Lock, has been off limits for almost a year, following the incident.

In August last year, we were alerted after 4,000 litres of highly toxic zinc cyanide solution poured into the canal. Among the first on the scene, we acted swiftly to limit the spread of the spill and protect the canal’s ecosystem, sealing off a 12-mile stretch of the waterway. After testing, this was reduced to just a mile.

Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to repair the damage, dredging the canal to remove and safely dispose of a staggering 526 tonnes of contaminated silt. Sadly, despite our best efforts, the spill has taken a heavy toll on local wildlife.

“The incident has had a lasting impact on the canal's ecology,” said regional director, Henriette Breukelaar, speaking at the official reopening ceremony, “but we’ll continue to monitor the canal closely to aid recovery and safeguard the insects, fish and mammals that call it home.”

The emergency response and clean-up cost of incidents like these are far reaching, not only are they devastating for wildlife and have a lasting impact on the canal’s ecology, but they also eat into our limited funds, time and resources that could otherwise be put to good use elsewhere on the network. And while we’ll seek to recoup the costs from the company responsible, the full extent of the environmental damage may not be felt for years.

New Sculpture unveiled at Brent Reservoir

A new unique piece of public art, designed by artist Phil Neal, and incorporating several heritage artifacts, was recently unveiled at London’s Brent Reservoir (also known as the ‘Welsh Harp') by Deputy Mayor of Brent Cllr Kathleen Fraser.

Photo above: L-R: Trust regional director Ros Daniels, Deputy Mayor of Brent Cllr Kathleen Fraser, Phil Neal, Welsh Harp ward councillor Amer Agha

The sculpture, a metal boat with a sail in the shape of a harp, was inspired by old newsreel footage of powerboating, shot on the reservoir in the 1920s and 30s before its designation as one of the country’s first Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

“I was captivated by the film of ordinary people, dressed in their Sunday best,” says Neal, “sometimes with three outboard motors strapped to their little boats, going hell-for-leather around a figure-of-eight course.”

As well as fabricating the boat, mast and sail, Neal repurposed old pulley wheels and chains, which until last year had been used to operate the sluices on the reservoir, to create the impression of spray and movement.

“These time-worn objects are more than simply scrap metal,” says regional director Ros Daniels, “they’re pieces of local history that have played an important role in the life and leisure time of generations of people.”

The sculpture, which overlooks the water, is designed to be used as a public bench, so visitors can sit and watch the boats go by, and perhaps ponder how their forebears once spent their free time.

Rare plants get a boost in Wales

In June, work started on the creation of a wetland habitat at Wern Pond in Powys, Wales, in a bid to extend the habitat of rare aquatic plants. Part of the restoration of the Montgomery Canal (known locally as the ‘Monty’), the initiative is expected to have broader benefits for other plants and wildlife.

The new conservation area, just off the A483 near Coppice Lane, will include a 1.5-metre-deep pond to accommodate 'Luronium Natans', a protected aquatic plant species found in the canal.

The pond, one of two proposed along the ‘Monty’, is expected to be completed by the end of the year, providing a favourable environment for the unique plant, which is becoming increasingly scarce here in the UK.

“It’s a really important milestone in the restoration of this historic waterway,” says principal project manager Richard Harrison, “part of ensuring that the canal and the habitats it supports will be here for generations to come.”

The creation of these new wetland habitats is part of a decades-long labour of love to return the ‘Monty’ to its former glory. It’s hoped these latest initiatives will help boost aquatic life and bring us one step closer to making this beloved canal fully navigable once more.