Salt to Severn environmental improvement project
The Trust has raised £15,000 from the Dulverton Trust to create a 'wet corridor' along the length of the Barge Canal, which stretches from Droitwich through to the River Severn (5.8 miles).
The corridor will provide a sustainable range of habitats encouraging increased biodiversity including European protected species such as otters, bats and birds.
In addition to creating suitable habitats through planting hedgerow and trees, the project will also improve the management of existing habitats and will increase the permeability of the canal corridor for otters using the Severn.
There will be improvements to the towpath, new walking routes will be devised and new signage, helping to attract people to the canal.
In addition part of the project will see the installation of a green classroom and a programme of environmental management sessions working with young people via schools and other groups.
The Salt to the Severn project, which will get underway in 2009, aims to:
- Expand existing scrub by 50%, otters using scrub for lying up by 2009
- Maintain and expand existing otter populations
- Increase tall herb fen vegetation by more than 10 per cent through better management
- increase in the diversity of herbaceous species in the fen.
- Create new ponds to provide habitats for at least two species of amphibian or water vole.
- Install 600m of soft bank protection along the canal to create further habitat suitable for water voles
- Extend and improve foraging habitat and introduce new roosts in structures and trees
- Increase the number of young people in taking part in volunteering activities associated with the canal.
- Create a 'green classroom'
Young people from the town will also be involved in creating the wet corridor. With funding from Greenprints, the young volunteers will improve the environment surrounding the new cut on the Junction Canal by planting trees and hedgerows.
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