In this episode of Rising Waters, Alex and Zara talk about natural flood management with experts Andy King and Basil Dean from the Environment Agency, and Kryzsztof Dabrowski, a Beaver Technical Specialist. They discuss the benefits of reintroducing once native species like beavers back into the UK to act as natural flood management, amongst other solutions such as river restoration and soil health improvement. Urban applications are also discussed, the need for community involvement and education on implementing these solutions more urgent than ever.

Actionable Insights:

Natural Flood Management:

Nature based solutions to flooding can improve ecosystems, habitats, and public spaces. This involves restoring rivers, floodplains, and wetlands to reduce flood risk.

Beavers as a Key ‘Eco Engineer’

Beavers are nature’s ‘eco-engineers’, building dams and creating wetlands. This behaviour can slow down the flow of water, thereby reducing flood peaks.

Urban Solutions to Flooding

Green roofs, sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS), and restoring rivers and streams could provide a solution to reduce urban flooding. Air quality, cooling and biodiversity are some of the extra benefits of this nature-based approach in urban areas.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is essential to the success of nature-based flood management projects. Locals can provide their own knowledge of the area and can help build buy-in and ownership for the changes.

A Vision for the Future

A world where natural spaces can be appreciated by all, made more accessible as well as river and water systems given more room to behave naturally, allowing humans to reconnect with nature.