Celebrations as the first year of levelling up canal restoration work brings benefits

In partnership with Powys County Council, and supported by the Montgomery Canal Partnership, the project is revitalising this disused section of the canal so boats will be able to use it in the future while also creating a broad and sustainable habitat to support a range of wildlife and the protected floating water plantain that are found on the canal.

The trust said that it had been a successful start to the project which is being delivered as an example of sustainable development, enhancing the canal's unique natural and historic built environment, and making it more accessible to local people and visitors.

In the early part of the year a dredging programme over 450 metres of channel dredged 2,000³ of material, totalling over 3,200 tonnes. The dredging involved a site-specific approach to manage marginal vegetation and tree cover to enhance and protect the diversity of the canal eco-system. As well as creating suitable conditions for future navigation, the work has ensured a broad and diverse habitat is maintained and created for wildlife.

The Trust has worked extensively with local stakeholders from Community Councils to local wildlife groups - with over 16 hours of workshops having been delivered to over 150 children in local schools. A programme of learning is also being developed for delivery in 2024.

Children have been learning about the unique ecology and wildlife along the canal and the steps that are continuing to be made towards the long-term goal to have a sustainable restoration for people and wildlife.

A second phase of dredging has been underway towards the end of 2023. Phase 2a has been completed with the next stage set to get underway at the start of 2024.

Katie Woodroffe, project manager for the Montgomery Canal restoration, said: "It's been a fantastic year for the restoration of the Montgomery Canal as we've made excellent progress on the section of the canal that's being restored between Llanymynech and Maerdy. Working alongside our partners, we've been able to involve the local community in discovering how special this waterway is and to develop the importance of how we can restore this man-made canal so it continues to provide benefits for both people and wildlife.

“We are looking forward to the next stages of the restoration as we move into 2024 and the opportunity to continue working with local people on developing this unique and special waterway."