This year it appears that the waterfowl on Stroud Canal are far fewer than previous years. Much of the moorhens', coots', and ducks' natural reed habitats have been destroyed by the Cotswold Canal Trust Volunteers seen frequently physically clearing, cutting and removing reeds & weeds along the waterside, and above on the higher banks, often assisted by their reed/weed cutter boat.
The volunteers do a survey, look across, and if no water fowl is seen, at any date and time of their choosing in the future, they can remove or cut back the reeds!
Do the volunteers not realise that the water fowl's habit is to live and nest IN the reeds, and are only seen on the water when looking for food!
Professional Thermal Imaging equipment, would alert the canal workers that wild fowl are in the reeds. The Cotswold Canal Trust's survey policy being flawed!
A Cotswold Canal representative when approached on the canal to explain the volunteers' actions said they have to ' strike a balance,' that is to keep the canal navigable. Hence the water fowl's existence is secondary! This is not acceptable!
Lynda Newman
Stroud
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