Duck weed growth warning

Summer heatwaves made 2019 Europe’s warmest year on record, and with higher than usual temperatures sweeping the UK this spring, the impact on the UK’s canal system and inland waterways could be severe, said Charlotte Lea, an ecologist at The Rothen Group.

Ms Lea explained: “Last year’s heatwaves meant duck weed and floating invasive species blooms flourished on the UK’s waterways, which threatened to congest and destroy natural habitats at pace as the warmer weather promotes exceedingly fast growth.”

She added that data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) “shows clear trends toward increasingly warm summers that could result in pronounced weed growth again in 2020, impeding boat traffic and damaging the environment for wildlife”.

Careful approach

Canal weed removal in the UK requires a careful approach, liaising with the Canal & River Trust or Environment Agency to ensure minimum disruption on the waterways, said Ms Lea.

The methods and equipment used to clear weeds depends on the type of weeds growing, for example invasive species need regular and consistent removal, but during heatwaves maintenance needs prioritising.

“It is important to remember that anywhere weeds can flourish will require some form of maintenance, and continued warm summers makes this need more pressing,” added Ms Lea.

By Rebecca Jeffrey