Earlier this month, National Landscapes teams from across the country gathered for an in-person knowledge share visit hosted by the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, to learn about their flagship Connecting the Culm project.
Connecting the Culm will restore nature up to two miles away from rail tracks, to combat flooding which has closed the Western Route train line at least 15 times since 2008. These closures can be devastating for homes and businesses throughout the southwest, who are cut off during flood events, and for Network Rail itself.
They, alongside other partners, have invested £3m to supercharge nature recovery and deliver measurable benefits to businesses while addressing the twin challenges of climate change and nature depletion head on.
The team started the day visiting land where the interventions funded by this investment are planned. The Blackdown Hills team shared valuable insights into the complex modelling and design processes underpinning the interventions. The scale of the planned works and getting to see riverbank willow coppiced by beavers - ecosystem engineering in action - was inspiring.
Hydrological modelling shows that tree planting, river reconnection and floodplain restoration work as part of Connecting the Culm could deliver reductions of up to 20% of peak flows when the work is complete, significantly reducing the risk of future rail closures due to flooding and reducing the time any future closures may take to clear.
The Blackdown Hills team briefing colleagues on the Connecting the Culm programme
After a lunch of pasties and presentations to further unpick some of the modelling, the team headed out to see two sites which had recently undergone riverbank restoration. These sites gave us the chance to see restoration in action; protecting the root network of a vulnerable veteran tree, stabilising a popular footpath, and restoring important riparian habitats.
This is the first time we have hosted a visit like this, and it was a fantastic opportunity for members of National Landscapes teams from across the country to see first-hand the difference that private investment can make. The day was a chance for colleagues to ask questions, share learnings and make honest reflections on the opportunities and challenges of working with water.
Find out more about Connecting the Culm and other nature restoration projects that drive business benefits and positive impacts for nature, climate and people on the Your Natural Partner platform.
Members of the National Landscapes Association Nature Based Solutions team
