Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy (1.2MB PDF)

24) Management will seek to attain an average width of one metre each side of the canal, for a target of 75% of the
total length, south of Keeper’s Bridge.
Marginal vegetation in offline reserves will further supplement this habitat. Because research indicates that marginal
vegetation is relatively unaffected by boat movements, the area present will broadly reflect conservation value.
Re-watering the dry section to Llanymynech will further increase the area of marginal vegetation, over a distance of
approximately six kilometres.
25) Innovative piling methods used on the Maesbury to Gronwen restoration will be used when appropriate. This has
included piling in the middle of the bank, rather than water’s edge, and also double piling, with a front piling sunk in
to water level.
Maintenance of marginal vegetation will necessitate careful location of hard edge moorings or facilities, which should also
refer to built heritage constraints.
26) There will be a presumption in favour of allowing or encouraging soft vegetation edges, on both the off-side and
towpath, except for built heritage or visitor facilities.
Where hard edges are required on the towpath side, which could be for structural reasons, built heritage purposes,
or moorings, consideration will be given to allowing a wider marginal zone to develop on the off-side.
27) New off-line reserves will be designed to incorporate a full marginal fringe of vegetation.
The area of marginal habitat likely to be created through the reserves is estimated at 2 hectares.
7.3.4 Canal Fauna
28) In order to better inform monitoring, continued research and survey will be encouraged and commissioned, as data is
less comprehensive than for the flora.
Some invertebrates are particularly sensitive to change in micro-environment, but often because of their dependence on
a particular type or species of vegetation, or a requirement for high water quality. Practical measures will therefore focus
on maintenance of the plant communities and water quality.
There have been some significant declines in the canal bird population over the last twenty years, but these are thought
to be primarily due to changes in agricultural practice on the adjacent land holdings. The continued development of the
Environmental Stewardship Scheme and Tir Gofal will help to address this problem.
7.3.5 Other habitats
The new nature reserves will require a larger land take than the proposed aquatic habitat, as additional land will be
required for the placement of soil from excavations.
29) Additional land will be used to enhance other semi-natural habitats, especially native woodland and species rich
grassland or marsh.
Hedges and boundaries will be managed to maintain stock proof barriers, and will also take into account maintaining
good towpath access, shading requirements of the canal flora, views from the canal, and the role in linking landscape
together.
106