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The charity making life better by water

Mute swan swimming across canal in front of closed lock gates

Nature is in crisis. Will you help us protect it?

Canals have become a lifeline for nature. Without constant care, these vital habitats would be lost.

We need to raise more money to protect and preserve our waterways for the species that depend on them, before it's too late.

Climate change, invasive species and habitat loss are putting devastating pressure on the wildlife we all love.

One in six native species are now endangered, and with 90% of wetlands already lost, our waterways offer a unique blend of land and water habitats to help nature recover and thrive.

But these precious ecosystems need care all year round. Our expert teams are tirelessly planting reedbeds to shelter fish, restoring hedgerows for pollinators, and clearing invasive plants choking the waterways.

Please donate today to help protect canal habitats so they remain a lifeline for nature.

Two swans with three cygnets swim along the canal from right to left, which is surrounded by lush green grass.

Protect nature's refuge

If we lose our canals, we lose more than a peaceful place to walk or watch boats drift by. We lose one of nature’s last refuges.

Canals provide a thread of wildness that weaves through our towns and cities, and connect an increasingly fragmented landscape. From butterflies and bees to kingfishers and water voles, there's an abundance of wildlife that calls them home.

We're giving it all we've got, but we can't do it without your help. Your gift today could help protect the nature you love, and the canals that make it possible.

A birds-eye view of a red butterfly with yellow-blue circles on its wings perched on a leaf

What does Canal & River Trust do to protect nature?

Help protect nature's lifeline

If we lose our canals, we lose more than a peaceful place to walk or watch boats drift by. We lose one of nature’s last refuges.

We're giving it all we've got, but we can't do it without your help. Please donate today to help protect canal habitats so they remain a lifeline for nature.

Last Edited: 02 July 2025

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