Nearly 70 people turned up to a recent event in Williton to learn about natural flood management – a comparatively newly-introduced technique to protect their homes and land from flooding.

Organised by the Two Valleys Flood Management Scheme – a joint collaboration between the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the Environment Agency – the meeting enabled people to hear from experts on how natural flood management (NFM) techniques can be implemented to prevent their homes, farms or property from being flooded in the future.

Speakers from the Environment Agency and the trust were joined by representatives from the National Trust, West Somerset Flood Group, Wessex Water and Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West.

Carina Gaertner, project manager for rural catchments at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, said: “Our speakers were able to explain how NFM is about working with natural processes such as digging ponds to hold run-off, creating natural dams from trees, creating bends in streams to slow the flow, and planting new hedgerows and native trees to absorb water.

“So far, we’ve built 23 ‘leaky’ woody dams, dug seven ponds, four of which are wetlands, and by the end of November we will have planted over 5,000 native trees across the area. 

“Studies have shown that NFM works best when it is delivered as a community-wide project, involving farmers, private landowners, estates, businesses and the local community.

“We’re particularly delighted to have had such a positive response from the local community, and we have recruited 14 local volunteers who are monitoring the water quality of their streams in the Williton catchment area.

“Anyone locally can volunteer, and no previous experience is needed as we provide all the necessary training, skills and equipment.”

To find out more about NFM visit the project website wwt.org.uk/two-valleys – or buy Friday’s Free Press.