The Wildlife Trusts are urging the government to allocate sufficient resources and work with nature in its flood prevention and control policies.

Flood defence walls continue to be a vital way of protecting homes and farmland. But, says the organisation, if the UK is to address the future effects of climate change, natural solutions to flood management must play a significant role.

The Wildlife Trusts’ report, Nature’s Place for Water, examines how creating wetlands and using sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) reduces the risk of flooding by enabling land to hold back water at peak flood times and storing excess water.

Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The government must allocate sufficient resources to deliver natural solutions. Wetlands are valuable for wildlife but they have added value too. They store floodwater, provide recreation and tourism opportunities, improve water quality and can act as the focus of raising awareness of flooding issues in local communities.”

Potteric Carr, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s flagship nature reserve, is a flood storage area.  In 2007, it stored 200,000 cubic metres of water on the site, just two miles from the centre of Doncaster. The special design of the reserve means during the floods, wildlife was able to take refuge from the floodwaters.

Stephanie added: “We know the approach taken at places like Potteric Carr works. What we need to do is put this approach into action on a much wider scale.”

Download a pdf of Nature’s Place for Water.