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Climate Crisis: Land's Resilience Key to Future Storms & Fires
30 Sep
Summary
- Native woodlands and peatlands improve water management during heavy rains.
- Beavers aid water storage and floodplain absorption in Cornwall.
- Rewetted peatlands and diverse canopies offer fire resistance and cooling.
The landscape in Cornwall, like other areas, is facing increased challenges from extreme weather events driven by the climate crisis. Months after Storm Goretti, fallen trees still mark the woodland entrance, and a wildfire recently scarred the coastline, leaving the gorse lifeless instead of blooming.
However, nature itself offers solutions to enhance the land's resilience. Initiatives like the Dartmoor Headwaters Project in Devon show how native woodlands increase water infiltration and peatland restoration improves water storage, slowing runoff during heavy rains. In Cornwall, the introduction of beavers at Woodland Valley Farm has aided water storage and floodplain absorption.
Further efforts in Wales' Tywi Forest demonstrate that rewetted peatlands are resilient to fires, partly due to sphagnum moss. The presence of hazel and sweet chestnut canopies offers cooling shade during high heat. While the weather cannot be controlled, influencing how the land copes is possible through these natural methods.
