Our Work with Wildlife

We are committed to the enhancement of wildlife habitats so that plants and animals which rely on the waterways and their margins can survive and thrive. The extensive colonies of Luronium natans floating water-plantain found in the Rochdale Canal are possibly the best populations of their kind in Britain. L.natans is protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and the European Communities Habitats Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora. It is also a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Our role in restoring the Rochdale Canal to full navigation involves a partnership with English Nature in this important species protection initiative.

The canal also contains the nationally scarce fringed water-lily Nymphoides peltata and water soldier Stratiotes aloides, an extensive population of the introduced national rarity American pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus and significant stands of water violet Hottonia palustris in Greater Manchester.