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“That is why we are driving investment to harness the power of nature. This approach not only reduces flood risk and helps tackle climate change, it can also benefit water quality, restore habitats and boost biodiversity. Natural flood management is a win-win-win.
Environment Agency chair Alan Lovell said: “In the face of a changing climate, and with the frequency and severity of flooding only likely to get worse, we need to act now. “The pioneers who already work with nature-based solutions to achieve greater flood resilience give me hope. I am delighted this new Natural Flood Management Programme will be open to environmental groups, catchment partnerships, farmers, landowners, and local authorities to speed up more investment in natural flood management.“Natural flood management gives us so many wider benefits and I look forward to seeing projects coming forward that also help to create habitats for wildlife, support better river quality, and sequester carbon.”
Projects supported by the £15m pilot include the Dorking Natural Flood Management Scheme, instigated after Pipp Brook in the Surrey Hills flooded due to its steep slopes. The partners created ‘wet woodland’ that benefits biodiversity and 30 ‘leaky barriers’ that allow water to spill into the natural floodplain, stopping too much water flooding into Dorking. Successful projects will cover a large enough area to provide demonstrable flood risk benefits. The Environment Agency will manage the programme. Expressions of interest in applying for funding opened today, and will close on 10 November 2023. Projects will be delivered during 2024-27. Further information on guidance on submitting expressions of interest and for the programme prospectus are at these links.