I would like to let you know that dredging will be taking place between Coates Bridge and Bielby Arm shortly, with the dredging specialists Land & Water starting on Monday 23rd January. This dredging is being carried out in order to create areas of open water within the canal to help improve the condition of the Pocklington Canal Site of Special Scientific Interest. This SSSI is currently in ‘unfavourable declining’ condition, in part due to the dominance of reeds and the decline in the diversity of aquatic plant species. Whilst the works are likely to look dramatic at first, opening up the canal will create the correct conditions for these rarer plants to recolonise. The dredging will be carried out to a profile of 1.2m deep and 4m wide – so creating a ‘channel’ along the canal which will allow for a fringing of reeds to remain. We are not removing all of the reeds as they are an important habitat in their own right.
The work is being carried out in January and February in order to avoid the breeding season. Individuals from the Canal & River Trust will be inspecting the works throughout the dredging period, to ensure that all works are carried out as per the agreement. The site for dredging was chosen in consultation with the Senior Land Advisor from Natural England.
This is part of a three year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, on which I am the full time Project Officer. In the following winter (October 2017 – February 2018) we expect to carry out dredging between Top Lock and Silburn Lock, and between Thornton Lock and Walbut Lock.
There is a notice in the current issue of the Pocklington Post, and for up to date information please visit https://www.facebook.com/
If you have any issues or questions then please do not hesitate to contact me,
Best wishes,
Lizzie
Pocklington Canal Project Officer
Funded through Heritage Lottery Fund
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