"Canals in better condition now than 20 years ago" (BW)

No, not the state of locks, bridges, aqueducts, towpaths, boaters' facilities or water supply. That's water quality which British Waterways is talking about.

On the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 this morning John Humphrys interviewed Dr. Mark Robinson, BW's national ecology manager. I have transcribed the interview, to which you can Listen Again for the next seven days (it runs from 0:54:41 to 0:57:20).

In the whole interview, lasting nearly three minutes, boats or boating never got a mention. They came close, when Mark Robinson admitted that canals weren't originally built for wildlife, but no, canals are now primarily for wildlife, or so the casual listener would infer.


Here's the transcript:

John Humphrys: It's nearly five to seven now. Britain's canals, home to the alligator snapping turtle. Sounds fairly unlikely, but they have found one, and a rather nasty specimen it is too. They've been doing a survey - again - of what's in our canals, and Dr. Mark Robinson of British Waterways is on the line. You did find only one alligator snapping turtle, I gather?

Mark Robinson: That's right, we did John. Good morning. (JH: Good morning.) erm, yeah, that was in a reservoir we have er, on, round by Solihull, we, I think it's an escaped one that's been let go, you know, as a pet or something...

JH: But the good news, well I mean, some people might like the idea of an alligator snapping turtle, the really good news is that Ratty is back, the, those water voles that were sort of disappearing, there are lots of them now.

MR: That's right, we've had some good records this year of water voles, erm, a lot down the south along the Kennet and Avon Canal, er, and it is really good news that, that we're getting water voles, erm, on the canals, and, erm, y'know we've had lots of other good records as well such as er kingfishers and, er, herons, and lots of waterways, er lots of, erm, wildlife on the waterways. You know, the, the canals they weren't originally built for wildlife but now they're becoming real havens where you can go for a walk or as you were talking earlier, go for a jog along the canal, and, er, and see lots of different wildlife.

JH: Yeah, great thing about jogging along the canal is they're flat! What, why is it that, erm, that they're doing so well now in terms of er wildlife?

MR: Well I think 20 years ago the, the canals were perhaps, erm, n, not in such good condition as they are these days. There's been (JH: They're cleaner now.) That's right, yeah, there's been massive investment in the canal network in recent years and the water quality is, is so much better, the, the habitat is so much better, and they're just looked after and maintained. They're exciting, vibrant places, not only for, for people to visit, but, but also for the wildlife as well.

JH: Can I ask you a really daft question: why don't they, because since they don't flow like a river, why don't they become stagnant?

MR: Well, well canals do flow in actual fact because, it's a much slower flow generally, and canals often go over hills so the water will flow down from the top of the hill. Obviously they don't flow, erm, sort of downhill like a river, they have a number of locks where the water is transferred down, down the hill through the locks, so, so it's, there is a flow, but only a slight flow.

JH: Right. But anyway the, the good news is they're, they're in good nick.

MR: They are, they are, they're looking great, and, er, one of the exciting things about the wildlife that we're finding in the canals is that the, the canals are like wildlife corridors, it's taking it right into the heart of our towns and cities, so, you know, they're good vibrant places to visit.

JH: Dr. Mark Robinson, thank you very much.

MR: Thanks very much.

Justin Webb: The weather now, for hydrologists and others, here's Liam Dutton, good morning...