St Edwards school children help plant new life into the Rochdale canal

Children from St Edwards Church of England Primary School with volunteers from the Canal & River Trust planting Luronium in Rochdale Canal

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Children from St Edwards CofE Primary School in Castleton joined volunteers from the Canal & River Trust on Tuesday to help ensure the continued survival of Luronium natans, a rare aquatic plant in the 200-year old Rochdale Canal.

As part of the project, the Trust has been working with Chester Zoo which has been growing the rare plants that can now be transferred into the canal. In doing so, it will help ensure the continued presence of Floating Water Plantain in the Rochdale Canal as well as the other native plants and insects which it supports.

Year six pupils from St Edwards Church of England Primary School, who have been learning all about the canal and the native plants and species that live in it, joined ecologists from the Trust and Chester Zoo, to help re-plant the aquatic plant between locks 53 and 54 at Madden Fold in Castleton.

The project – part of a wider scheme that also takes in Birmingham’s 35 mile canal network - was made possible through a grant of £249,000 over three years from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and £127,000 donated from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Becki Anderson, senior ecologist at the Canal & River Trust, said: “It’s fantastic that local children have been involved with this project to learn all about their wonderful canal. Working with Chester Zoo and with help from volunteers we can re-establish Luronium natans, literally putting new life into the Rochdale Canal, which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its range of aquatic plants.”

Richard Hewitt, team manager of horticulture and botany at Chester Zoo, said: “Most people associate Chester Zoo with the conservation of rare and endangered animal species from all over the world, but we are also working to protect our very own native species here in the UK – including these very rare aquatic plants.

“The wild number of these plants has been steadily declining over the years, and many of its natural habitats have been lost, meaning canals are now the only remaining stronghold. Working with Canal & River Trust, our team have been carefully growing these plants for a number of years ready for reintroduction back into their natural habitat.”

Rhys Wynne, Community Roots Project, added: “Thanks to the funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, we’ve been able to re-introduce this rare aquatic plant back into the Rochdale Canal. The children have been fascinated to learn all about the canal and the varied wildlife that lives in it from moorhens to dragonflies and kingfishers and, they are going to try and grow some Luronium natans in their classroom which is great news.”

Floating Water Plantain is native to Europe and Britain’s canals provide one of its most important habitats.

The Rochdale Canal is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the varied plant populations and a Special Area of Conservation due to the presence of Floating Water Plantain.