Volunteering opportunity: Improve the health of the River Lee and Springfield Marina by removing Floating Pennywort
- Date: Sunday 26th May
- Time: 9.30 am – 3.30 pm (or any time you can spare)
- Meet at Leaside Trust, Spring Hill, Clapton, E5 9HQ
- Parking on site and train stations nearby
British Canoeing (now renamed Paddle UK) and the Angling Trust have partnered with the Canal & Rivers Trust. We will be removing the invasive non-native plant species floating pennywort from the River Lee Navigation at Springfield Marina with the help of volunteers and members of Leaside Trust Canoe Club and our other volunteers locally and near the river.
Our events are inclusive as possible, with physical and non-physical roles available on the day. We encourage everyone to get involved as we have plenty of tasks that need doing which will not all be on the boats as we need people on the bank too. We have been running these events for a couple of years now and over 200 wonderful volunteers have supported us with our stakeholders from Lee Valley Park, Thames Water, the Environment Agency, Affinity water, Thames 21and many more canoe clubs, local businesses, community groups and river/towpath users.
With our dedicated team of experienced and qualified Paddle sport instructors and INNS and biosecurity experts, you can help us rid the River Lee of all the floating pennywort while enjoying a fun and rewarding experience and learning something new about the environment
No experience required - we make it fun, safe, and rewarding for all participants. Just bring clothes that you don’t mind getting wet/splashed and sturdy boots and a change of dry clothing and water and packed lunch. When you sign up on the link a detailed explanation of the day with safety slides will be emailed to the contact you provide
For any information how to take part on the volunteering day please contact:
Please sign up using the QR code or this link. Click on sign up for a Floating Pennywort Day, then select the date you want to come along and location as we are also running an event on 20th May May at Stonebridge Lock, which you are welcome to attend as well.
Many thanks - we hope to see as many of you there as possible to help us keep the river clear of Floating Pennywort. THANK YOU.
Floating Pennywort - Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
First naturalised in 1990 as a result of discarded plants from garden ponds. It spreads rapidly and can grow up to 20cm per day, quickly dominating a waterbody by forming thick mats and impeding water flow and amenity use. May out-compete native species by blocking out light, causing deoxygenation, obstructing air breathing insects and reducing water temperatures. It is found mostly in the south-east of England and occasionally in the northwest of England and Wales.
