Natural flood prevention scheme gets £800,000

A flood prevention project that aims to work with nature has received more than £800,000 in government funding.

The scheme involves planting 40,000 trees, restoring historic waterways and installing 5,000 natural "woody-debris features" at the Forest of Dean to slow the flow of water to nearby towns and villages.

The project, for the Cannop area of the forest, is being run by Gloucestershire County Council in partnership with Forestry England.

Councillor James Blockley said: "We're trying to emulate the way that nature deals with water in the landscape and give it a helping hand."

He said the measures were not a "silver bullet" but when the usual winter storms occur, towns and villages including Lydney, Parkend and Whitecroft will have a greater level of protection.

Those who visit the forest for leisure and exercise will have a "much more inviting and absorbing landscape to visit", he added.

Councillor Joe Baker said that hydrological modelling was carried out to assess the risk of flooding in Lydney in 2021.

Since then, the council has identified ways of protecting the town, he said.

This includes the project's woody-debris features, such as logs that catch silt and leaf debris to slow the flow of water on a large scale.

These features will also help native fish, such as brown trout and eel, to migrate upstream.

Rivers will also be reconnected to floodplains, which act as natural storage areas, and concrete covering historic waterways will be removed.

Mr Baker added that the 40,000 trees being planted would hopefully make the area more beaver-friendly.

"In next three to five years, we want to add beavers to the catchment so they can sustainably manage it," he said.

Rob Cullen, from Forestry England, said the body had been working with archeologists to protect the heritage features of the forest's Cannop Colliery, where some of the project is based.

It is hoped the now fully funded project will be completed by 2029.

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