Volunteers Strike Back Against 'Destructive' Weed in Lincoln Waters
The RiverCare Lincoln Paddlers, a squad of dedicated volunteers, have reportedly cleared a notable 98% of the harmful Floating Pennywort, an invasive weed prolific in the River Witham and Foss Dyke, including the Brayford Pool.
This notorious weed, known to grow at immense rates of 20cm a day, forms dense mats of leaves on the surfaces of Lincoln's waters, significantly harming aquatic plants and wildlife, disrupting water sports, impeding boating and posing a potential flooding threat by blocking critical river elements like weirs, sluices, and pumps.
A Tireless Effort
Despite its pervasive nature, The RiverCare Lincoln Paddlers, a commendable team of fifteen, have so far invested 80 laborious hours eradicating the Floating Pennywort from a lengthy six-mile stretch of Lincoln's waters, including a four-mile sweep of the River Witham and a further two miles of the Foss Dyke.
"We’ve been very successful in eradicating it, I’d say maybe as high as 98%", says team leader Phil Swales. "We will always get new smaller growths but as soon as we spot them we report them and remove them."
Swift action has been pivotal in limiting regrowth. "Last year the Witham upstream was completely blocked by it. Since January we’ve been going out to remove any regrowth," added Swales.
For the Benefit of All
"Damage to our waterways caused by Floating pennywort is well documented, as is the knock-on effect to the communities who live near and enjoy our waters," says Lynsey Stafford, manager of Keep Britain Tidy's RiverCare & BeachCare programme in the East of England. "We need to do all we can to halt its spread."
Stafford also highlighted the continued dedication of the volunteers and emphasized that the issue calls for collective responsibility. "Those who think it is someone else’s problem are wrong – it’s everyone’s problem, and we can all play a role in protecting it."
Following the efforts of the volunteers, local residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the weed's appearance and report possible sightings via Facebook to the RiverCare team. This is part of the #PennywortAlert scheme, a collaborative initiative with the Environment Agency, to combat the destructive plant species.
The Floating Pennywort, first introduced from America in the 1980s as a garden pond ornament, has been banned from sale in the UK since 2014, and causing the weed to grow in the wild is legally prohibited.
Anglian Water region inhabitants are urged to report Floating Pennywort sightings to the RiverCare Facebook page.