CANAL & RIVER TRUST EMBARK ON WINTER TREE AND HEDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

[Ray T]

PRESS RELEASE

23 December 2019  

 

CANAL & RIVER TRUST EMBARK ON WINTER TREE AND HEDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

 

This winter the Canal & River Trust is carrying out three quarters of a million pounds of work to tackle overhanging trees and hedges. 

 

The works will focus on preserving navigation and ensuring sightlines are kept clear, rather than cutting back every metre of overgrowth.  The charity actively manages vegetation all year round, but large-scale activities are best suited to winter when the waterways are quieter and disturbance to wildlife is minimised.

 

While most of the national programme of work is carried out by specialist contractors, the Trust is working alongside volunteers to deliver the work. 

 

Matthew Symonds, national boating manager at the Canal & River Trust, said: “We know how important keeping trees and hedges under control is to boaters and we’re committed to tackling those places where overgrowth is causing problems whilst ensuring that important wildlife habitat is maintained.  We’ve listened to customer feedback and worked with boaters to identify the places that need the most attention and, this winter, we’re investing three quarters of a million pounds into a programme targeting the areas that will make the biggest difference for our boating customers. 

 

“Managing the ever-growing flora across 2,000 miles of waterways is like painting the Forth Bridge, and we welcome every extra pair of volunteer hands.  It’s really satisfying to see the difference you’ve made at the end of the day, and being by the water and active can brighten up the dark winter months.  Thank you to all the volunteers who will be getting involved.”

 

For more information about the Canal & River Trust visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk 

 

ENDS

 

[Athy]

Welcome news.

[ditchcrawler]

They started at Streethay at the beginning of the month 

[Grassman]

21 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

They started at Streethay at the beginning of the month 

We (IWA volunteers) began this years offside vegetation cutting in October, starting at Fradley Junction and working south down the Coventry Canal. Contractors had done as far as the A38 bridge a couple of years ago but it had already frown back over the canal in places. We have now nearly reached Huddlesford.

 

It can be painstakingly slow especially the cutting back of the hawthorn and brambles. We have to finish in early March due to nesting wildlife and because we can only do 2 days a week (CRT lock lockies on Tuesdays and IWA on Fridays) I doubt we will reach Fazeley Junction which we'd like to have done especially as the veg is particularly bad towards that end. We will soon have to start considering whether to skip the less problematic parts and just concentrate on the very bad ones in order to reach Fazeley Junction, or to carry on being thorough and continue next year from where we left off.

 

If we could just get 2 or 3 more volunteers we could do an extra day most weeks, so if anyone is interested let me know. You can always just pop and see us to get an idea of what is involved. It can be hard work but everyone goes at a pace they are comfortable with so no pressure. It's quite rewarding and we all enjoy it, especially the banter. Very little training is required except for the pole chainsaw and wood chipper operation but a lot of it is just passing branches to the chippers, holding the boat into the edge, and scooping smaller cuttings out of the water. CRT provide the PPE.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, Grassman said:

We (IWA volunteers) began this years offside vegetation cutting in October, starting at Fradley Junction and working south down the Coventry Canal. Contractors had done as far as the A38 bridge a couple of years ago but it had already frown back over the canal in places. We have now nearly reached Huddlesford.

 

It can be painstakingly slow especially the cutting back of the hawthorn and brambles. We have to finish in early March due to nesting wildlife and because we can only do 2 days a week (CRT lock lockies on Tuesdays and IWA on Fridays) I doubt we will reach Fazeley Junction which we'd like to have done especially as the veg is particularly bad towards that end. We will soon have to start considering whether to skip the less problematic parts and just concentrate on the very bad ones in order to reach Fazeley Junction, or to carry on being thorough and continue next year from where we left off.

 

If we could just get 2 or 3 more volunteers we could do an extra day most weeks, so if anyone is interested let me know. You can always just pop and see us to get an idea of what is involved. It can be hard work but everyone goes at a pace they are comfortable with so no pressure. It's quite rewarding and we all enjoy it, especially the banter. Very little training is required except for the pole chainsaw and wood chipper operation but a lot of it is just passing branches to the chippers, holding the boat into the edge, and scooping smaller cuttings out of the water. CRT provide the PPE.

 

 

Its great you are doing it, but if it needs doing CRT should be supply the necessary labour to ensure there is sufficient to complete the task.

[Murflynn]

is that what is often described as a hedge fund?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..............................................     coat ................................   

[Arthur Marshall]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its great you are doing it, but if it needs doing CRT should be supply the necessary labour to ensure there is sufficient to complete the task.

I don't think CRT can afford the labour force any more. And with crisis management rather than continuous monitoring and repair, and with the income cuts surely coming, they aren't going to do anything inessential. 

[Grassman]

5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its great you are doing it, but if it needs doing CRT should be supply the necessary labour to ensure there is sufficient to complete the task.

I take your point, there would be far more progress if more than 2 days a week could be achieved but when their resources are limited it's things like the offside vegetation cutting that doesn't get done because they are using their workforce to do more specialist things like locks and structures etc.  So whether we like it or not, without volunteers these things just aren't going to get done. 

 

Besides which, I and the fellow volunteers really enjoy doing it, and it benefits those of us who are boat owners and particularly me because I've just had a costly re-paint done on my boat!  

[Boatingbiker]

Merry Christmas Grassman, keep up the great work 

 

[Heartland]

With all that cutting branches, I wonder if Noddy Holder will still sing Cum Feel the Noise, that is when he is not singing that other song- er cant thing of the name ! Oh yes Merry Winterval at least that what the pc people call it

 

Merry Christmas to all group members and especially those that help on the waterways. 

[ditchcrawler]

16 hours ago, Grassman said:

I take your point, there would be far more progress if more than 2 days a week could be achieved but when their resources are limited it's things like the offside vegetation cutting that doesn't get done because they are using their workforce to do more specialist things like locks and structures etc.  So whether we like it or not, without volunteers these things just aren't going to get done. 

 

Besides which, I and the fellow volunteers really enjoy doing it, and it benefits those of us who are boat owners and particularly me because I've just had a costly re-paint done on my boat!  

But my point is CRT should not be able to claim lack of manpower by relying on volunteers to do work they should be doing to maintain the canal. If the offside needs cutting back then CRT should be funding it, If they can reduce the cost by a third by using volunteers fine. but the work should not rely on volunteers.

[Heartland]

Ditchcrawler has a point. But what happens of there is an accident? Any use of power tools for work of this nature is covered by rules and laws. How do the Waterways Recovery Group deal with this aspect, I wonder, and the inevitable Risk Assessments?

[tree monkey]

54 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Ditchcrawler has a point. But what happens of there is an accident? Any use of power tools for work of this nature is covered by rules and laws. How do the Waterways Recovery Group deal with this aspect, I wonder, and the inevitable Risk Assessments?

The op did say training will be given for chipper and pole pruners, both are simple 1 day courses, both boil down to, don't touch that bit and don't put any personal bits in there.

 

It wouldn't be that difficult to write a method statement and risk assessment for simple shrub/hedge pruning.

 

[ditchcrawler]

59 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

The op did say training will be given for chipper and pole pruners, both are simple 1 day courses, both boil down to, don't touch that bit and don't put any personal bits in there.

 

It wouldn't be that difficult to write a method statement and risk assessment for simple shrub/hedge pruning.

 

I am sure they have them, in triplicate 

[Grassman]

6 hours ago, Heartland said:

Ditchcrawler has a point. But what happens of there is an accident? Any use of power tools for work of this nature is covered by rules and laws. How do the Waterways Recovery Group deal with this aspect, I wonder, and the inevitable Risk Assessments?

Yes, all of that. Full training, risk assessments, method statements, lead volunteers, CRT staff on board , full PPE provided, medicals etc,

[Grassman]

7 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

But my point is CRT should not be able to claim lack of manpower by relying on volunteers to do work they should be doing to maintain the canal. If the offside needs cutting back then CRT should be funding it, If they can reduce the cost by a third by using volunteers fine. but the work should not rely on volunteers.

In an ideal world yes, but with limited funds what do you expect them to do? I'm sure they'd be pleased to hear from you with a solution.  Would you prefer they reduced the lock repairs/replacement programme with the subsequent risk of more unplanned stoppages due to failure, and instead do more offside vegetation cutting? 

 

People can moan all they like but it isn't going to change anything. Unless the government increase their measly contribution, CRT have to prioritise and spend their limited resources where they are most needed.  Besides which volunteers obviously do it because they enjoy it and want to do it, so it therefore suits both parties. I do it because it's good to get out in the fresh air, it gives me a day off from the nagging wife, and it benefits me when we're boating. 

[Pluto]

Around 1900, the L&LC Engineer told the committee that he needed one man per mile of canal, plus the men in the workshops, to keep the canal in good order. I don't think current finances would run to anything like that, so good luck to those who volunteer. 

[wandering snail]

Tree down across the canal just before we got to it at Woodseaves Cutting on the Shroppie yesterday during our Christmas Day cruise. Managed to eventually go over it after judicious use of the bowsaw while watching as it continued to slip down the hillside and further in to the cut. C&RT informed that they've another to add to their list.

[cuthound]

21 hours ago, Heartland said:

Ditchcrawler has a point. But what happens of there is an accident? Any use of power tools for work of this nature is covered by rules and laws. How do the Waterways Recovery Group deal with this aspect, I wonder, and the inevitable Risk Assessments?

 

A generic risk assessment would cover 99.9% of vegetation management.

[Sea Dog]

22 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

But my point is CRT should not be able to claim lack of manpower by relying on volunteers to do work they should be doing to maintain the canal. If the offside needs cutting back then CRT should be funding it, If they can reduce the cost by a third by using volunteers fine. but the work should not rely on volunteers.

CRT based themselves quite heavily upon the National Trust which has volunteer workers central to most of what they do. This, I suspect, was the only feasible model with which to replace BW given the public purse cash savings required.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, wandering snail said:

Tree down across the canal just before we got to it at Woodseaves Cutting on the Shroppie yesterday during our Christmas Day cruise. Managed to eventually go over it after judicious use of the bowsaw while watching as it continued to slip down the hillside and further in to the cut. C&RT informed that they've another to add to their list.

Last time a tree fell there it was closed for a week, Not sure if it was December or November

[wandering snail]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Last time a tree fell there it was closed for a week, Not sure if it was December or November

It re-opened on the 6th Dec I think when another tree fell in November. Several new rock falls and scree slips too. Not surprising with all the rain swelling the streams running down the cutting sides. We're just pleased to have got through unscathed!