Monty restoration and destruction

THERE is a sign by Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) along the Montgomery Canal stating it has restored 95 yards of the section they're currently working on, and have 335 yards to go.

Not bad for volunteers who only work one weekend a month, our man on the spot tells us, and the towpath along this entire section has been levelled and surfaced, making access easier for walkers and cyclists.

Destruction

By contrast, he remarks, the destruction caused last year by the Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) slash and burn activities  (accompanying picture) has largely been reclaimed by Nature (except for the mature trees they chopped down, of course) and consequently full of flowers, butterflies, insects, birds and no doubt many other animals too small to be easily seen.

Sadly, this means that when WRG return in August, the destruction of foliage and wildlife habitats shown in the picture, will be undertaken afresh. They have made no improvements to the towpath (very uneven and treacherous in places) so their work seems doubly a waste of effort!

Different approach

The picture below shows a very different approach to the restoration of the Montgomery Canal being carried out by the volunteers of the Shropshire Union Canal Society.

They have confined themselves to a short stretch of the canal and, having initially cleared the foliage, they cause minimal destruction to the environment by working at least once a month on the canal.