The waterways and wellbeing charity Canal & River Trust, together with volunteers from Occuity, The Oracle, and Abbey Quarter Business District planted reeds and flowering plants on special pontoons in an initiative to enhance local sustainability and biodiversity. The team of volunteers, passionate about Reading wildlife, worked quickly to establish floating beds that will provide shelter for fish and attract birds and insects into the summer months.
Across the five reed beds now floating on the Kennet & Avon Canal, layover 1,300 aquatic plants that elevate the attractiveness and naturalism of the canal. Residents and visitors of Reading will enjoy the wide variety of greenery and colours, from yellow flag irises to purple loosestrife and other flowering plants.
Spanning over 90 metres in length, the reed beds are composed of 100% recyclable, non-toxic, environmentally friendly materials designed by a brilliant team of ecological engineers. These reed beds provide the support structure necessary for an ecosystem to thrive, especially in a water body with hard edges and limited ecological function.
Occuity’s digital marketer manager Henry Tsang, who volunteered to help out with the project said:
“I was excited to be part of the ongoing regreening and sustainability programme in Reading town centre. The work done by the charity organisation Canal & River Trust over the years is highly commendable, and when I saw there were calls for volunteering, I leapt at the opportunity. I want to give thanks to Occuity for supporting my placement in this brilliant programme, and I look forward to future initiatives to green up Reading.”