Cotswolds Canals Connected

Restoration of the Stroudwater canal has the potential to make a significant contribution to biodiversity by providing new waterway and adjacent habitats, and by re-forming an important link between habitats along the River Severn in the west and those in the valleys of the Cotswold escarpment to the east. The restored canal will form a linear mosaic of habitats including woodland and scrub-edges, hedgerows, traditional orchards, flower-rich towpath verges and diverse emergent “reedy” fringes. The River Frome already provides this west-east link. Running approximately parallel to it, the canal will complement this and will effectively widen the river valley for wetland and riparian species, providing greater diversity and resilience to future change.

Cotswold Canals Connected is focused on restoring the local environment and creating an array of habitats that achieve a net positive gain for biodiversity. Cotswold Canals Connected is using the canal restoration to link and enhance the natural features and wildlife habitats of the fragmented landscape from Saul Junction to The Ocean, Stonehouse. This commitment has led to the development of a ‘Working with Nature’ strategy.

Cotswold Canals Connected wants to work with nature by:

• Making the most of the project’s location in a wildlife corridor
• Keeping knowledge of the state of local wildlife up-to-date
• Minimising disturbance to wildlife areas
• Creating new habitats
• Building best practice in wildlife protection into canal restoration
• Ensuring wildlife and biodiversity are woven into all project themes
• Embedding wildlife features in canal design
• Joining adjacent land to the canal wildlife corridor
• Partnership working with landowners

A key element of the success of the Working with Nature strategy will be engaging people and communities in the natural environment and wildlife conservation opportunities created along the canal-river corridor.

The Cotswold Canal Connected Project will coordinate a broad range of activities for a variety of interests ranging from spending time in nature for health and well-being to building wildlife habitats and/or being involved in species or other environmental monitoring.