Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trolleys in canal protect rare weed

Kate Watson-Smyth
Tuesday 24 August 1999 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

THE SHOPPING trolley - once the scourge of environmentalists who had to haul them out of rivers and canals - is now being used to protect one of the world's rarest underwater plants.

British Waterways yesterday used three trolleys found in the Forth and Clyde Canal at Glasgow to act as giant baskets for Bennett's Pondweed. The delicate pondweed, which is found nowhere else in the world, was first discovered in the canal and nearby ponds in 1890. It thrived until 1937 when the ponds were drained and it was thought to have vanished.

But it was rediscovered in the 1960s in the Glasgow branch of the canal where it has flourished ever since.

A spokeswoman for British Waterways said the trolleys were needed to protect the pondweed from dredging work that was taking place.

"We didn't want the plants, which are very delicate, to be disturbed by the dredger and we thought this would be an ideal chance to put the trolleys to good use," she said.

The plan is part of British Waterway's pounds 378m Millennium Link project to restore and reopen the Forth & Clyde and Union canals coast between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The pondweed survives in water up to six feet deep and creates a habitat for small fish to hide from pike, for algae to grow and for snails to feed.

Olivia Lassiere, an ecologist at British Waterways, who came up with the plan for the trolleys, said that if it proved successful, they could be used to protect other plants and keep them in their natural habitat.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in