Funding for the Montgomery Canal

THE Canal & River Trust in Wales, has received a grant of £250,000 to maintain a restored stretch of the Montgomery Canal, near Welshpool.

The money being received by Glandŵr Cymru (the trust in Wales) from the Nature Networks Fund, reports Janet Friend.

The finance is for maintenance work by the fund that will include removing areas of silt in the waterway and dense vegetation that grows over the channel.

Propagate plants

Planned efforts are to collect samples of rare plants and propagate those plants, to reintroduce them back into the waterway.

David Morgan, development manager for Glandŵr Cymru, explained:

"The funding will deliver improvements that will mean this section of restored canal continues to be navigable for boats and brings benefits for local people and biodiversity.

"We're going to be dredging to remove silt and improve the navigation for the Heulwen Trust, [That organise boat trips along the canal.]

"By removing invasive species this will reduce plant competition and we'll also be pruning overhanging trees to reduce shadowing and so improve species diversity."

The funding that is from the Nature Networks Programme is being delivered by the Heritage Fund on behalf of the Welsh Government.