Ecosystems – Joining things up in floodplains Cranfield University: Joe Morris, Tim Hess, Peter Leeds-Harrison, Paul Trawick, Helena Posthumus, Quentin Dawson Open University: David Gowing, Jim Rouquette, Andy Blowers, Graham Tucker River Restoration Centre: Jenny Mant Thanks to: –UK Research Councils, notably ESRC and NERC –RELU Programme Director and Team –Farmers, Defra, Environmental Agency, Local Government, Association of Drainage Authorities, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and others –EPSRC Flood Risk Research Management Consortium

Policy Context Global drivers - WTO CAP – food, farmers & environment Climate Change Water Framework Directive Making Space for Water Catchment Flood Management Plans Catchment Sensitive Farming Draft Floods and Water Bill, 2009 To ‘integrate management of flooding and coastal erosion to recognise the links and dependences between different policy areas’ Resources & limits 0ptions & choices (source: Morris et al, 2009, in press ) Objectives: intended outcomes Governance, Scale

Integrated Land and Water Management: The Case of Flood Plains Objectives –Can multiple objectives be achieved in ways which are appealing to major stakeholders? –what data and methods can help support decision making? –How can integration be achieved in practice? Study methods –8 agric flood defence schemes –Historical analysis –Policy & stakeholder analysis –Integrated modelling –2007 flood impact assessment –Scenario analysis –Ecosystems

Natural capital and ecosystems Stocks, capital, assets Flows, services, benefits and costs Flows of Ecosystem Services Stocks of Natural (Ecosystem) Capital Ecosystem Functions Values and Stakeholders

Floodplain ecosystem functions and services: derived by stakeholder assessment Production –Agricultural production –Bio-energy crops –Coppicing –Reed production Regulation –Flood water storage –Water quality regulation –Greenhouse gas balance –Atmospheric nitrogen emission –Water balance –Soil condition –Drainage Habitat –Biodiversity habitat target –Biodiversity species target Carrier –Transport infrastructure –Settlement –Industry Information –Public rights of way –Recreation –Cultural heritage –Education / research –Landscape value

Floodplain scenarios Seasonal water table regime Seasonal flood regime Indicator Values Production Regulation Carrier Habitat Information 1.Current situation 2.Maximising farm income 3.Maximising agricultural production 4.Enhance biodiversity within agricultural systems 5.Enhance biodiversity without agricultural systems 6.Maximise flood storage

Hydrological regimes Standards of Agricultural Drainage Low High Water table depth below ground level, m MG13: Inundation grassland → inundation pasture habitat Months

Scenarios : trade-off and synergy Beckingham Marshes: Land Use *

Scenarios : trade-off and synergy Beckingham Marshes: Land Use *

Scenarios : trade-off and synergy Beckingham Marshes: Land Use *

Scenarios : trade-off and synergy Beckingham Marshes: Land Use *

Scenarios : trade-off and synergy Beckingham Marshes: Land Use *

Scenarios : trade-off and synergy Beckingham Marshes: Land Use *

Ecosystems, values and stakeholders Morris et al, 2009, Reed et al, 2009

Key results Defined water regime requirements Agricultural and ecological benefit assessment Importance of ‘land drainage’ Key synergies, conflicts and myths Ecosystem metrics Stakeholders and ecosystems Summer 2007 floods – a test case Potential rural role for future flood risk management

Joining things up in floodplains Manage water regimes to deliver outcomes Link ecosystems with stakeholder benefits Use multiple science and knowledge to understand trade-offs, synergies and limits Line up policy themes and funding Establish diverse collaborations and long term commitment Review ‘entitlements’ Research to inform discourse, policy choice and stakeholder ‘buy-in’ Big, visionary experiments