Should Spalding’s Coronation Channel pathway be cut or left for rewilding?
Opinion is split over the state of Spalding’s Coronation Channel.
Long grass either side of the footpath has been championed by some users for its benefits to nature – but others fear it can help unwanted beasts thrive and cause problems with dog poo.
“Regular dog walkers are talking about the long length of the grass on the footpath which is now unwalkable in places with one dog,” said Hazel Whitfield, who uses the path.
“If you are walking two dogs or more, the walk is now a hazard for adders and ticks.
“I suffer from an allergy to insect bites so that I worry about that. Also I regularly see cyclists and people with pushchairs walking up to Springfields.”
Hazel hopes that a compromise can be met.
“At the moment, the grass having not been cut on the path for approx a month has made the walk hazardous,” she said.
“I realize it is crucially important to allow insects, birds etc to enjoy a natural habitat for living and breeding, but from what I know about managing wildlife areas in church yards - this has to be a carefully managed process.
“So, for example, on the Coronation Channel leaving much of the area natural but (having) the grass mowed on a designated walking area too, so that people and pets can enjoy the environment also.”
This paper visited the Coronation Channel to talk to residents using the path.
Some dog walkers hope the bankside can remain as it is.
“I like the idea of rewilding. It’s important to do that. The path is getting narrow for dogs but it’s used to it now,” one told this paper.
Another was keen to keep the grass long to enable wildlife to return.
They said: “We don’t get the insects and butterflies we used to get around here. It would be nice to see them back.”
However, another hoped the grass could be cut back, at least on one side of the path.
They said: “People talk about No Mow May, which is great. But it’s no-longer May and it’s starting to get overrun.
“You can’t see the dog, you get soaked if it’s wet and it’s uncomfortable.
“The other thing is, the dogs don’t go to the toilet where they normally go. You can’t go down there and find it and you’ll find as you walk along there is dog poo.
“If they want to leave it (the bankside) like that, fine. But at least cut the other bit (on the opposite side of the path) to make it more manageable.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency, which owns the land, said: “Coronation Channel is primarily a flood bank and our maintenance schedule is planned to ensure that people and homes are protected.
“We cut the crest on the flood bank to allow our team to inspect it and to ensure safe access for our machinery as well as to provide access for walkers.
“We leave the bank sides longer to create areas that encourage wildlife and work closely with biodiversity colleagues to find the right locations without compromising flood risk management.”