Benn pilots £500k anti-flood plans

That’s a lot of sandbags. This is straight from the government:

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn today announced £500,000 will fund “up to two pilot projects” that will explore how land management can reduce the risk of flooding.

Land management practices can play a vital role in managing flood risk at a local level.  For example, the creation and restoration of wetlands and woodlands can reduce the level of flooding, and in some cases remove the risk of local flooding altogether.

These practices also produce wider environmental benefits at a local level, including encouraging an increase in wildlife species and habitats, reducing arbon emissions and improving water quality.

Hilary Benn said:

“Last summer we saw the huge devastation that flooding can cause and even small events can cause huge disruption to people’s lives and livelihoods. Sir Michael Pitt’s recent report on the floods highlighted how traditional flood defences are not always appropriate or cost effective, so we must generate a range of sustainable approaches to protect people and property.

“We can never fully eliminate the risk of flooding, but we are working to ensure that we are better prepared to deal with future events.  This initiative will not only improve our knowledge about how we can best deal with flooding, it will also help look at how we can improve our biodiversity at a local level at the same time.”