Natural flood management in headwater catchments to protect downstream communities - NFM project

Industrial pollution and other human impacts have led to vegetation loss and erosion of blanket peatlands in upland areas of the UK.

Peatlands are important for biodiversity but may also mitigate flooding in headwater communities which are often small and lacking support for hard flood defences.

The PROTECT project aimed to understand the extent to which restoring these ecosystems, by revegetating bare areas and blocking up eroded gullies, can reduce downstream runoff and help protect these communities.

The project has shown that these interventions control runoff from peatlands by increasing the surface roughness and slowing the flow, reducing runoff peaks by up to 12%.

The restoration of headwater peatlands could deliver meaningful reductions in flood peaks to protect communities at risk, whilst also protecting biodiversity and storing carbon.

We need to continue to support restoration of the UK uplands and to consider flood risk benefits as this work is planned.

The project demonstrated by designing NFM into upland restoration projects, significant reductions in flood peaks can be achieved for communities downstream.

The project demonstrated by designing Natural Flood Management into upland restoration projects, significant reductions in flood peaks can be achieved for communities downstream.