Our main concern is woody vegetation that could, over time, damage structures or pose a permanent barrier to mooring. Woody vegetation includes saplings, bramble, buddleia and ivy and we will seek to ensure this is managed annually. However, we will also clear non-woody vegetation that does not die back in the winter if this then causes an access problem, except where it is being retained for wildlife protection.
In many locations, we have mature trees or woodland growing along our waterways which are landscape, culturally significant or of wildlife benefit - these will be retained. We aim to record and make all these locations publicly accessible on our website.
We have had a recent drive to manage bank edge vegetation on many of our waterways and we hope people have noticed. This is an ongoing management requirement as it grows back, but our standard practice is to treat the plants with herbicide to prevent regrowth. Some of the waterways and volunteers have been helping us keep on top of the growth; we are keen to roll this out to other waterways and get this vital help from our great volunteers.
