A National Trust site in Shropshire is working to slow down water flow to prevent flooding in the catchment area. Rangers and volunteers at Attingham Park in Atcham are building dams, restoring ponds, and planting trees to help the land absorb water from the River Severn and River Tern.
This project is one of eight initiatives supported by the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme and Shropshire Council. The aim is to understand how nature-based solutions can improve water management and make the Severn catchment more resilient to future climate change.
Dams have been constructed using willow wood from pond restoration projects on the Attingham estate. Park ranger Emilia Fahlstromova stated that wood is the best material for restoring wetland habitats, with the hope of rewetting the area and encouraging more wetland species.
Project manager Jane Birch is also working on solutions such as planting hedgerows and creating wood barriers to trap debris. She emphasised the importance for landowners to adapt, moving from past practices of draining land for food production to holding more water to reduce downstream flooding risk.
BBC Midlands Today's environmental correspondent, David Gregory Kumar, noted that natural methods, even simple ones, can make a significant difference in solving problems related to flooding.