The Union Canal is a lovely waterway passing through Edinburgh. It is a real haven for wildlife, swans, mallards and moorhens nest along it and we've seen kingfishers there. (You can read more about the wildlife that we've seen along the canal here).
The City of Edinburgh Council is currently carrying out a consulation into a future strategy for the Canal. The strategy does seem to place a high importance on the wildlife and natural environment of the canal. It suggests that future developments alongside the canal should be environmentally friendly - they suggest green roofs and sustainable drainage systems, plus I have noticed that house martins and swallows seem to be nesting in some of the new houses that were recently built along the canal. However there is always a concern that development can take precedence over the environment, and personally I would be concerned that too much investment in visitor and community facilities, even if they do have green roofs, could, if not careful, have a detrimental impact on the wildlife of the canal.
So I have responded to the council's consultation document and you can too at this link. The more people who express their feelings about the importance of the canal as a wildlife habitat, then the more likely the council is to honour its good intentions about respecting the environment.
9 comments:
Any waterway in a city in important Juliet I agree - birds don't differentiate between canals and pretty little streams.
You Edinburgh locals - hop on this toot sweet!!!!
Sounds wonderful. Preserving habitat in urban areas is particularly important. People, especially city people, need ways to be in touch with nature. This is a great idea.
All the best in protecting the canal.
Best of luck with the efforts to protect the canal. That's so important.
Good luck protecting the canal. It's more important to preserve the waterway and the habitat - houses are more easily replaced and more easily placed elsewhere.
I'm causing a bit of a stir at our township meetings making sure the creek down the road from me is protected
Brava to all who speak for nature
I hope this habitat is preserved. I think more people should be in touch with nature. Great post.
I hope that the wildlife wins and thank you for being an advocate for them....Michelle
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