Surface water movement and drainage through urban areas can create a number of issues for local communities and water-based ecosystems. From property flooding and inundation of the sewage network to road runoff directly entering our watercourses there is a pressing need to work across the catchments towns and villages to manage the impacts of climate change and improve the health of our rivers.
Our Urban Wetland Network project is creating an influential network of nature-based solutions to tackle flooding and water quality across the urban environment whilst aiding natures recovery, providing opportunity for co-design and delivery with local communities and building connectivity between the urban and rural environments.
The approach we are taking to this is through the following actions.
Delivery of functional wetland habitats within urban areas and throughout a 500m buffer area around their edges.
Creating in-community features such as retention wetlands and scrapes alongside river restoration, and re-naturalising ditch networks.
Through our Storing the Storm! SuDS initiative we are working with schools and local communities, highlighting the benefits of urban ponds, raingardens, and rainbox planters, inspiring involvement in their design and delivery.
Reviewing existing surface water management plans to highlight where nature-based solutions may offer higher benefits and lower cost to traditional hard engineering and concrete.
We are aspiring to create a grant scheme for features, aimed at homeowners and small holdings where other grants or stewardship payments are difficult to obtain.
This work is funded through multiple sources including Local Authorities, the Department for Education, and environmental grants.