It was a case of “mud, glorious mud” at the Shropshire Union Canal Society’s latest work party, said restoration project manager Tom Fulda.
“This winter is characterised by persistent rainfall,” he explained. “The current area of site is generally well drained, but that counts for nowt when plant tracks over it.”
But recent bad weather failed to deter volunteers who turned out in large numbers throughout the work party – and continued to smile.
With the channel out of bounds to all but heavy plant, most activity was focussed on towpath and hedging works. Excellent progress was made on hedge-laying, reports Tom, with two teams working simultaneously, aided by a team clearing the site ahead of the ‘layers’ and another continuously removing the arisings. With perseverance, it was even possible to get a bonfire going. By close of play, all the brash had been disposed of. More than 70m of hedge has been laid this winter so far; there will be one more session next month before the winter environmental programme finishes for the season.
The programme also includes hedge planting. So far this winter, more than 500 whips have been planted, with more to go next month. These are used both as infill for the hedge-laying and also new hedging by the offside field in Phase 1B.
Special thanks are due, said Tom, to CGI UK Ltd, which has provided hedging materials for three consecutive years, and also to the three corporate volunteers from Aico in Oswestry who turned up to assist with the hedge clearing and planting.
Two further teams of volunteers focussed on towpath works, one fixing the boards and the other laying and compacting the aggregate. Like everything else, the aggregate was completely sodden, making for very heavy work. Despite this, a tremendous 235m of towpath was completed this work party. The length from Schoolhouse Bridge southwards to Malthouse Bridge is now finished. North of the compound, a further 100m-plus length, continuing southwards from towpath completed last year, has also been finished.
Despite the wet conditions, it was still possible to make further progress shaping the channel in Phase 2. There is now a decent length prepared ready for lining and blocking when the site has dried sufficiently to make a start.
A final group of volunteers, armed with wheelbarrows, undertook an expedition to Waen Wen to retrieve snowdrops and daffodils from the basin, where tree clearance work took place last November. Five barrow-loads were relocated to the current site, where they were replanted in the bank beneath the newly laid hedge.
