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Shropshire Lands Aim to Soak Up Floods
10 Aug
Summary
- Attingham Park is using nature-based solutions to manage water.
- Willow dams, pond restoration, and tree planting are key methods.
- The project aims to make the Severn catchment resilient to climate change.
Attingham Park, a National Trust site in Shropshire, is actively working to mitigate flood risks by utilizing its landscape as a natural water sponge. Rangers and volunteers are engaged in constructing dams from willow wood, restoring existing ponds, and planting trees to manage water flow for the River Severn and River Tern.
This project is one of eight initiatives supported by the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme and Shropshire Council. It aims to explore and demonstrate how nature-based solutions can effectively improve water management and build resilience against future climate change impacts within the Severn catchment.
Park ranger Emilia Fahlstromova highlighted the effectiveness of willow wood in restoring wetland habitats, explaining that the dams will help rehydrate dried-up areas, encouraging the return of wetland species. Project manager Jane Birch is also focusing on planting hedgerows and creating debris-trapping barriers.
Historical land management practices, particularly post-World War II emphasis on maximizing agricultural productivity through drainage, are being re-evaluated. Current efforts now prioritize holding water on the land to reduce downstream flooding, a growing concern across the UK due to extreme weather events linked to climate change.
