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Environment watchdog promotes role for nature-based measures in flood management

by Trevor Loveday

Natural Flood Management must be a core part of the nation’s defence against flooding and climate change according to Environment Agency (EA) chief executive, Sir James Bevan.

Following EA’s publication of a report, Natural Flood Management Programme: evaluation report, Bevan asserted that natural flood management should to be seen as “shoulder to shoulder with crucial bricks and mortar hard defences.”

The report said the national Natural Flood Management Programme received £15m of government funding and its impact included benefits to communities and to biodiversity alongside protecting homes and businesses from floods.

According to the report 60 pilot projects under the programme created an equivalent of 1.6m cubic metres of water storage and increased flood resilience to 15,000 homes. And it improved 4,000 hectares of habitat and 610km of river and planted 100 hectares of woodland.

Bevan said: “Sadly, devastating flooding is likely to become a more familiar sight over the next century. As we prepare for more extreme weather events, Natural Flood Management will play an essential role.”

“By harnessing the power of nature alongside our traditional flood defences, we can not only help keep communities safer, but also create wildlife havens and tackle the climate emergency,” he added.

Natural flood management measures include planting trees and hedges to absorb more water, creating leaky barriers to slow water flow in streams and ditches and restoring salt marshes, mudflats, and peat bogs.

Environment minister, Rebecca Pow, said: “We are investing a record £5.2bn in flood and coastal defences to ensure more communities are better prepared – and nature-based solutions are a key component of this. The additional benefits of Natural Flood Management for people and wildlife are vast.”

The Natural Flood Management programme involves 85 partners including: Rivers Trusts, Wildlife Trusts, local authorities, Natural England, the Forestry Commission, landowners, universities and local businesses. It was completed this year and has achieved some great successes.

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