alastair driver multiple benefits
TRANSCRIPT
Achieving multiple benefits through
river and wetland restoration
Alastair Driver, National Biodiversity Manager
Environment Agency
Multiple Benefits
Through Flood Risk Management
KILLER FACT from the Mddx Univ Socio-economic study of the R. Quaggy: The average amount of time spent per person in Sutcliffe Park increased by 44% after “daylighting” of the river.
River Quaggy at Sutcliffe Park, South London, before and after flood alleviation work
Multiple BenefitsThrough Flood Storage Area enhancement
EA flood storage area of very limited biodiversity value
R. Beam Parklands, Dagenham
Multiple BenefitsThrough Coastal Erosion Risk Management
Steart managed realignment project, Somerset
KILLER FACT from EA Ecosystem Services Case Studies report: 400 ha Alkborough Flats managed realignment scheme cost app. £10M and provided £12M of storm protection to land and property. Other ecosystems services benefits = app. £1M p.a.
Alkborough Flats
Multiple BenefitsThrough Coastal Erosion Risk Management
Freshwater wetland creation at Great Bells Farm, Isle of Sheppey
Tidal surge breach, Dunwich, Suffolk. Oct 2007
Tidal surge breach, Cley- Salthouse, Norfolk. Dec 2013
Multiple Benefits Through WFD – on watercourses
Radcot Weir bypass channel, R. Thames
Weir removal at Prestolee on R. Irwell
Multiple Benefits Through WFD – river restoration
R. Leith in Cumbria
Natural breach (L)
Restoration (R)
R. Medlock in Manchester – brick and concrete lining removal
Multiple Benefits
Through WFD on land
Lunt Meadows, North Merseyside
Fobney Island, Reading
KILLER FACT from study of ponds in Northumberland: Organic carbon is 10% in uncompacted sediments in permanent ponds compared with 3% in adjacent agricultural land
Multiple BenefitsThrough upland restoration
Operation Peatland, Forest of Bowland
Upland bog restoration – Hafren Forest, Upper Severn
KILLER FACT from Moors for the Future : eroded bare peat catchments produce extremely ‘flashy’ storm-flow, with significantly shorter hydrograph lag times (20 mins) than observed at an intact reference catchment (70 mins).
Multiple BenefitsThrough sustainable land management
KILLER FACT from Defra Soil Strategy for England 2009: The water treatment cost of soil erosion is app. £21 million p.a. in England. Agriculture is responsible for 25% of the phosphorus but 75% of the sediment in rivers.
Washing topsoil down the drain – Jan 2014
Multiple Benefits Through Town and Country
Planning
River Ravensbourne at Cornmill Gardens,
South London
Multiple benefits Through SUDS
Green roof, London
Surface water collection pond, Dunfermline
KILLER FACT from Environment Agency Introduction to SUDS: On average, urbanisation without SUDS trebles the rate of run-off during storm events
SUDS for Schools examples
Multiple interventions - Holnicote example
Multiple interventions - Belford example
Thankyou for your attention