Written by Richard Bennett, Canal & River Trust, Nature Recovery Manager
Canal & River Trust, with support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, has created a species recording system called CanalSpot for our canal and river network in England and Wales. Using Indicia software, created by John van Breda of Biodiverse IT, CanalSpot integrates with the national species recording database, iRecord, and therefore draws from and adds to data from national recording schemes and societies, Local Environmental Records Centres (LERCs) and records will be shared with the NBN Atlas. The Trust’s network, while mainly artificial or ‘heavily modified’ water bodies, consists of corridors of open water, wetland, grassland, hedgerow, woodland, scrub and built structures. It passes through often less wildlife rich parts of lowland England and Wales, and is mostly very accessible by towpaths, yet provides significant connectivity and multiple habitats through these landscapes.
Initially we’ve been getting used to it and updating with records collected by Trust ecologists during their regular surveying input to maintenance work. It Is helping inspire ideas for later stages, to encourage recording and nature-connectedness activities on the network which includes over 4,500 existing volunteers and is regularly used by 10 million people each year.
Anyone interested in collaborating can contact Richard Bennett at NatureRecovery@canalrivertrust.org.uk
