WITH THE HOT SUMMER there has been a surge of floating pennywort on the waterways.
Two ways of tackling
But now there are two ways of tackling it.
The invasive species grows into large floating mats of dense foliage that smothers waterways and causes major problems for boaters, anglers and wildlife and also stops sunlight, smothers habitats and crowds out native plants, in addition to getting it around boat propellers.
The project, which is being led by Canal & River Trust is by using a mechanical removal of pennywort, using an amphibious weed cutter that scoops up the weed that is shredded and then used on fields as fertiliser.
A project led by Canal & River Trust together with a £105k Landfill Communities Fund grant from the Veolia Environmental Trust and a £10k contribution from United Utilities, work is underway at removing the invasive species on the Weaver Navigation, between Winsford and Acton Bridge.
Weevils
Also there will also be a trial scheme to release thousands of tiny weevils on the Weaver, which will eat away at large swathes of the greenery and offer a natural and environmentally friendly way to help tackle the weed.
It is expected that both methods will be used in the future to get rid of the floating pennywort from the rivers and canals.