Wildlife along the Erewash Canal

Wildlife on the Erewash Canal

Woodlands by the canal and its nearby valleys contain a mixture of beech, ash, field maple and elm, and a wide range of flora, like carpets of bluebells and other woodland flowers.

Grassland meadows display a richness of wildflowers like the bluebell, yellow archangel and lesser celandine. And along with the flowers come the damselflies, dragonflies and butterflies. The waterway and local ponds are home to ducks and moorhens, and also frogs, great crested newts, and the endangered water vole.

Local nature reserves in and around the canal are:

  • Forbes Hole: Situated in Long Eaton, a small, yet diverse site with wetland, meadows, carr woodland and hard woodland habitats.
  • Stoney Clouds: Large outcropping of bunter sandstone, allowing excellent views around the area. Its name derives from the Saxon 'clud', meaning hill - hence 'Stoney Hill'.
  • Fox Covert: An area of wet woodland on the fringe of Long Eaton's West Park. At one time this was a brickworks, but it was eventually planted over during the 19th century to provide cover for foxes.
  • Nutbrook Junction & Trowell Marsh: A complex of nature reserve areas along the side of the Erewash Canal, including semi-natural broad-leaved woodland, scrub, grassland and swamp.
  • Pioneer Meadows: A little-known oasis on the edge of Kirk Hallam. Originally an ironstone pit, now a popular fishing pond and nature area with a good diversity of species and habitats.
    • <.