Groundwork South is offering funding to local stakeholders to carry out floating pennywort removal work in the lower catchment.

 The £10,000 fund forms an integral part of the Lower Colne Floating Pennywort project, which is overseen by Groundwork South and the Environment Agency.

The project began in 2018 which saw the creation of the Colne Floating Pennywort Management Plan. The management plan outlines a strategy for control to reduce the range of floating pennywort in the catchment by prioritising control sites within the species’ upper most range.

2019 marks the beginning of our floating pennywort control programme. The majority of the control work undertaken through the project, will be delivered by a contractor using specialist removal techniques. Where we believe this is the most effective method to reduce the range of the species in the catchment, we also acknowledge that control work may need to be undertaken at other sites for different reasons. For example, the species may affect the use of a site for recreation activities such as angling; it may be having an impact on local biodiversity; it may be preventing other management practices for taking place; or it may simply be spoiling the aesthetics of a public beauty spot.

We are encouraging local stakeholders to run volunteer work days to remove floating pennywort from key locations in the catchment to tackle these issues. In order to facilitate this we are offering applicants up to £250 per workday to cover their staff, tools and volunteer costs. Local land managers, environmental groups angling clubs and NGO’s can all apply for the fund which is open for applications until August 30th 2019.

For more information on how to apply please download our application pack:

Lower Colne Catchment Floating Pennywort Removal Fund Application Pack

Lower Colne Catchment Floating Pennywort Management Plan

Design by LTD Design Consultants and build by Garganey Consulting. From an original concept by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.