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Planting the canal lock gates of the future?

14th Dec 2011

British Waterways will this week begin planting 100 native elm trees by canals and rivers across the country, in order to enhance the nation’s natural waterside heritage.

The 50cm-tall saplings will be planted by volunteers working alongside British Waterways’ environment team. Planting locations will include the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, the Droitwich Canals, the Kennet & Avon Canal, the Aire & Calder Navigation, the Pocklington Canal, the Lancaster Canal, and the River Trent.

The elm has a long-standing relationship with Britain’s canals and rivers as the timber withstands wet conditions very well, making it the traditional material for making lock gates and cills for more than 200 years.

Before the 1960s, many millions of native elms had thrived on our soils for centuries, however more than 90% of them were wiped out in a decade by a deadly fungus, Dutch elm disease, which is spread by the elm bark beetle.

Important wildlife habitat

British Waterways has sourced the elm saplings from The Conservation Foundation, which has taken cuttings from mature parent elms found growing in the British countryside, that appear to have resisted Dutch elm disease.

Dr Mark Robinson, British Waterways’ ecologist, explains: “The survival of some of the UK’s native elms is a good example of natural selection in action. By propagating and replanting those that have survived, we can start to bring back this majestic tree, the English elm, to our country.

“Elms are important habitat for hundreds of lichen and invertebrate species, including the rare white-letter hairstreak butterfly. Elm wood is also particularly good at resisting water and was traditionally popular for boat building, barge hulls, bridge foundations, cartwheels and even the first urban water pipes. Due to the devastation of the species, we no longer use elm wood to make our lock gates. However, we can help to bring back this much missed and valuable species, and maybe one day they can be used as lock gates once again.”

Last updated: 15/12/2011

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