Four weeks of work starting on canal in Newport
Dredging work on Newport's canal will begin today to help benefit the area's unusual plants and fish.
Shropshire Wildlife Trust said it came after a long and detailed period of investigation and consultation.
The work will be carried out by WM Longreach, a Bridgnorth based family company, and is expected to last for four weeks, finishing on November 15.
The aim is to minimise disruption and avoid footpath closure.
During the dredging operation there will be a display in Cosy Hall about the recovery programme and contact numbers will be displayed on site in case of concerns.
The aims of the conservation dredging is to increase the depth of the canal for the benefit of the unusual plants that are found in there, which the Wildlife Trust says have been in decline in recent years.
It will also help benefit fish which use the canal as it is currently too shallow in places to be comfortable for them.
The trust said: "Sediment will be dredged and deposited in adjacent woodland and may smell initially, but will settle quickly and any discolouring to the water will also clear soon after the works. The canal feed from the Strine will be on all through the dredging operation and checks will be made on water quality and fish health during the works.
Monitoring
"When the dredging is complete we will be monitoring the site and carrying out follow-up works all the way through till March 2021."
Shropshire Wildlife Trust held a public walk along the route for local residents to learn more about the project and the short term visual impacts that will be created.
The trust said: "Everyone in attendance was happy that all necessary preparatory works have been concluded and that the site will look unfavourable initially, but will soon settle down and look much healthier by summer 2020.
"We would like to thank the funding team at Natural England and the European Fund for Rural Development for the Water Environment Grant that has made this all possible. This is a partnership project between Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Telford and Wrekin Council, Shrewsbury and Newport Canal Trust, AUDCO, Telford Angling Association and Honeysuckle Angling Club."
