Ecological Survey of the Old Stratford Arm

As an essential step towards restoring the length from bridge 1 at Cosgrove to the dual carriageway, British Waterways required the Society to have an ecological survey carried out. BW considered this to be of higher priority than the projected engineering feasibility study, which is still required.

A specification for the study was drawn up and the opportunity to comment on it was given to BW, South Northants District Council and the Wildlife Trust. Other interested parties were informed lest they wished to make a contribution. No objections were received.

In November 2001, the Society commissioned Middlemarch Environmental Ltd to undertake the survey, which was funded entirely by the Society. The survey was carried out in April last and the survey report has since been received. The report lists constraints and opportunities presented by the ecology of the site and these are summarised as follows:

Constraints and opportunities presented by the ecology of the site on the development of the canal.

This report details the finding of an initial investigation of the ecology of the survey site based on a desk study and one site visit. The site is a County Wildlife Site and thus is of relatively high ecological value and may be afforded protection through the planning process. These factors must be taken into account during the designing of any future development of the site.

The presence of badgers on the survey site requires further investigation. If confirmed, badger presence may cause a constraint to the development of the survey site as badgers and their sets are protected and any work within 30m (sometimes 100m) from the set may be restricted and has to be licensed by English Nature.

The large numbers of trees and shrubs within and bordering the survey site offer a large number of potential nesting sites to birds, several species of which were observed during the field survey. The presence of nesting birds may impact on the development of the site as all birds, their nests and their eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (it is an offence to kill, injure, or capture any wild bird; damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while the nest is being built or is in use; or take and destroy an egg of any wild bird). The old hedgerows bordering the survey site are of high wildlife value and hedgerows are a target habitat of the Northamptonshire Action Plan (BAP), therefore the hedgerows should be protected during any future development work.

Small areas of swamp were recorded in the disused canal bed. This is a relatively uncommon habitat type in the surrounding area and is listed on the Northamptonshire BAP. Any future development of the canal should consider opportunities to retain this habitat type within the survey site. The translocation of the swamp to the canal edges should be investigated.

Improved grassland and tall ruderal habitats dominated the disused canal bed and banks and scrub is beginning to encroach. Improved grassland and tall ruderal are very common habitat types and are of a relatively low botanical value. Any future development of the survey site that would result in the replacement of these habitat types with one of a greater ecological interest e.g. swamp or open standing water (two habitat types listed on the Northamptonshire BAP) would result in a increase in the ecological value of the survey site.

Your committee will be evaluating the report at forthcoming meetings.