What is NFM?
Natural Flood Management (NFM) is a term which is regularly used, but it can mean different things to different people.
Therefore throughout this project, we refer to NFM as:
“Working with natural processes to proactively manage sources and pathways of water through a catchment. Using techniques that intercept, slow and hold water through the restoration, alteration or enhancement of natural features within our landscapes. Ensuring multiple benefits that promotes catchment resilience.”
Why NFM?
Natural Flood Management will not prevent flooding, however it could be an integral part of our approach to manage flooding within the UK.
By working with natural processes and features within the landscape, NFM can deliver multiple benefits – improving connectivity, biodiversity and habitats that create greater resilience and adaptability within our catchments.
Check out this nice video which explains NFM
What are some of the techniques we use?
Slowing Water
Riparian buffer strips
Riparian tree planting
Large Wood Debris features
Holding Water
Floodplain bunds
Flood bank removal
Sediment traps
Intercepting Water
Woodland creation
Moorland restoration
Soil management
About our funders
Princes Countryside Fund
This fund has enable the trust to develop and deliver Natural Flood Management Farm plans throughout Wharfedale and Wensleydale. Helping farmers and landowners identify opportunities on their land. We have also been able to commission some NFM opportunity modelling in both catchments to help us prioritise our work and be more effective. Finally we have also set up a demonstration site at Oughtershaw, where we have show cased a number of techniques. Please follow link for more information.
Peoples Postcode Lottery
This fund has allowed us to deliver some capital projects, enabling us get some NFM features in on the ground; this has included a number of leaky dams, scrapes and riparian buffer strips. We have also trained some contractors on how to install different features.
WaterCoG
The focus of the Interreg Water Co-Governance for Sustainable Ecosystems project (WaterCoG) is to understand how the implementation of EU directives can be achieved at a local level in the North Sea Region. The Upper Wharfe is a pilot area with a specific focus on Natural Flood Management.