40 projects across England set to benefit from £25 million
funding for using nature to increase the nation’s flood
resilience
Successful applicants for the Natural Flood Management
programme, managed by the Environment Agency, include wildlife,
river and woodland charities, community groups, and local
authorities
Natural Flood Management uses the power of nature to help
reduce the flood risk to communities and infrastructure while
also delivering wider benefits to people and the environment,
supporting the government’s plan to boost flood resilience
Forty projects which will use natural processes such as planting
trees and creating wetlands to reduce the risk of flooding are
set to benefit from a £25 million government programme, Floods
Minister announced today (Friday 23
February).
Part of the government’s plan to increase the nation’s flood
resilience, natural flood management processes protect, restore,
and mimic the natural functions of catchments, floodplains and
the coast to slow and store water.
Community, charity and council projects set to benefit from the
£25 million Natural Flood Management programme include:
Severn Rivers Trust will carry out a mixture of
natural flood management measures in the headwaters of Illey
Brook, near Halesowen in the West Midlands. Many
of these works will focus on soil and land management – slowing
and storing surface water runoff, while also reducing soil
erosion and supporting agriculture. New woodland areas and
hedgerows will support wetland complexes and the creation of new
habitats.
The Ribble Rivers Trust has proposed a number of
projects focusing on slowing river flows across the Ribble
catchment, in Darwen, Clitheroe and Lea Green.
Swales, ponds and leaky barriers across watercourses will slow
and store floodwater in the upper reaches of the River Darwen
catchment, whilst vegetation management and new woodland will
intercept the flow of water as it runs downhill, reducing runoff
and enabling water to be stored in the soil.
The announcement comes after a wide range of applications were
submitted to the Environment Agency by community groups,
environmental charities and councils for grants, following the
launch of the largest-ever investment in natural flood
management schemes in September last year.
The Environment Agency led a review of these applications, with
input from Defra and Natural England.
Environment Agency chair Alan Lovell
said:
“It’s exciting to see such appetite for Natural Flood Management,
recognising its value in providing not only benefits against
flood risk but also wider support for nature
recovery.
“I’m proud of the role the Environment Agency is playing in
leading this pioneering programme. We look forward to working
with partners to help natural techniques become a mainstream
option for flood protection and help create more climate
resilient places.”
Floods Minister said:
“It’s vital we use nature as an ally in our work to become ready
for climate change, helping to restore the natural environment
and protecting homes and businesses. That’s why we’re funding the
biggest-ever investment in natural flood management – and it’s
great to see the huge demand.
“These schemes will complement traditional bricks-and-mortar
defences, all funded by our £5.2 billion flood programme. This
programme is one more part of our plan to bolster flood
resilience and shield communities – all whilst boosting
biodiversity, restoring habitats and protecting the environment
for future generations.”
Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Rivers Trust,
said:
“We warmly welcome this significant fund which will not only
protect people and businesses from flooding, but will also make
more space for nature, purify pollutants, recharge groundwater
aquifers, lock up organic carbon and create amenity value for
communities.”
The new funding builds on the £15m natural flood management pilot
programme which ran until 2021, creating the
equivalent of 1.6 million cubic metres of water storage and
reducing flood risk to 15,000 homes.
The Environment Agency is managing the new £25 million programme
with work taking place from now until March 2027.
The programme will help meet the goals of the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk
Management Strategy for England, which provides a
longer-term vision of how we will better protect and prepare
homes and businesses from flooding and coastal change and create
climate resilient places.
It also supports the Government Policy Statement on Flood and
Coastal Erosion Management, which highlights the importance
of harnessing the power of nature, and the Environmental Improvement
Plan, which recognises the need to mitigate and
adapt to climate change with the use of nature-based solutions.
Investing in natural flood management will support the
government’s plan to better protect communities while tackling
climate change and benefitting nature.
To find out more about the Natural Flood Management Programme and
for a full list of successful projects refer to our Gov.uk pages.
