Slow the flow: Natural Flood Management podcast episode

ECP Project Manager, Ann Berkeley, joins the Counting the Earth podcast hosts on their latest episode ‘Slow the flow: 5.7 million’ – this number refers to the estimated number of properties in England facing flood risks.

This episode covers Natural Flood Management (NFM), and how a nature-based approach can work alongside more traditional flood management techniques to help address the challenges posed by the climate crisis and changes in land use. They discuss how features such as leaky woody dams, swales, wet woodlands and field corner bunds are helping to manage water flow through the catchment, bringing co-benefits along the way.

Following Storm Bert, hosts Sue and Alice meet Ann at Bruern Estate in Oxfordshire to explore how this approach is reducing flood risks downstream in Milton-under-Wychwood. NFM measures were installed here in 2018 and on this occasion, the houses along the Littlestock Brook in Milton-under-Wychwood did not flood.