1. Research on Rural Resource Management and the Rural Economy: Addressing the Local and Regional Dimension Royal Society of Edinburgh, Wednesday 16th May 2007 Better Floodplain Management Joe Morris, Cranfield University supported by colleagues from Cranfield and the Open Universities Research Team Cranfield University: Joe Morris, Tim Hess, Peter Leeds- Harrison, Paul Trawick, Quentin Dawson, Helena Posthumus, Open University: David Gowing, Jim Rouquette, Andy Blowers, River Restoration Centre: Jenny Mant Environmental Solutions: Graham Tucker

2. Schedule Sustainable Development, natural capital and ecosystem services Sustainable Development, natural capital and ecosystem services Floodplains – suitable case for treatment Floodplains – suitable case for treatment Implications for Policy Implications for Policy Conclusions and Acknowledgements Conclusions and Acknowledgements

3. Objectives: social, economic, environmental Resources and limits: natural physical financial human social Development options: policies programmes projects Governance, Scale

4. The role of natural capital Stocks, capital, assets Flows, services, benefits and costs Flows of Ecosystem Services Stocks of Natural (Ecosystem) Capital The capital account The revenue account

5. Natural Capital: land water air biosystems Ecosystem Functions: production regulation carrier habitat Information Ecosystem Uses, goods and services: Eg: Agriculture, Industry, Nature conservation, Tourism, Recreation Ecosystem Values: meeting stakeholder purposes and preferences: social. economic, environmental Stakeholders Property rights Indicators Hydrological, ecological, physical, chemical… Social and economic Ecosystem Functions, Uses and Values

6. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

7. Policy Challenge? Public policy: SD - is it possible? Public policy: SD - is it possible? Whats the link between natural capital, ecosystems functions and well-being? Whats the link between natural capital, ecosystems functions and well-being? What understandings are required from physical, natural and social sciences? What understandings are required from physical, natural and social sciences? Will a better understanding lead to action and outcomes? Will a better understanding lead to action and outcomes? What policies and other actions are needed to do this and deliver SD? What policies and other actions are needed to do this and deliver SD? Whats the role of Governance? Whats the role of Governance?

8. The Case of Flood Plains: Flood Plains: level tracts of land liable to inundation by river water Regional and local significance Regional and local significance Changing priorities and concerns ? Changing priorities and concerns ? Reappraisal of land and water management ? Reappraisal of land and water management ? Policy realignment and integration ? Policy realignment and integration ?

9. Integrated land and water management in flood plains: revisiting agricultural flood defence schemes in England and Wales Aim - to understand the causes, processes and of consequences of change in land and water management in lowland floodplains previously engineered for flood defence purposes in order to inform future decisions on sustainable management Aim - to understand the causes, processes and of consequences of change in land and water management in lowland floodplains previously engineered for flood defence purposes in order to inform future decisions on sustainable management

10. Objectives: research questions (1) With respect to managed flood plains: what factors influence land and water management ? what factors influence land and water management ? how do variations in land and water management affect: how do variations in land and water management affect: farm output and incomes? farm output and incomes? nature conservation? nature conservation? water resources? water resources? flood management? flood management? other rural benefits? other rural benefits?

11. RELU Project: Integrated land and water management in flood plains Research Questions : is it possible to achieve multiple objectives in ways which are appealing to major stakeholders, especially farmers? is it possible to achieve multiple objectives in ways which are appealing to major stakeholders, especially farmers? what data bases and appraisal methods are needed to support decision making? what data bases and appraisal methods are needed to support decision making? what are the best ways of achieving the widespread adoption of integrated management solutions? what are the best ways of achieving the widespread adoption of integrated management solutions?

12. Approach historical analysis of the dynamics of change on selected Agricultural Flood Defence Schemes implemented during period 1960-1980. historical analysis of the dynamics of change on selected Agricultural Flood Defence Schemes implemented during period 1960-1980. 40 year historical perspective in order to look forward 40 year historical perspective in order to look forward building on integration building on integration

13. Conceptual Framework

14. A Case Example: Beckingham Marshes History: prior WWII: grassland & marsh, willow production 1960-70: improved drainage, pumps, emergency flood storage 1970-2000: arable production 2005: RSPB plan re-conversion to grassland for lapwings, increase water table levels

15. Hydrological Component Classification of floodplain by degree of hydraulic control OutflowInflow Uncontrolled inflow Fixed controlled inflow Variable controlled inflow Uncontrolled gravity return Fixed controlled gravity return Controlled return (sluices / pumps) Beckingham Marshes

16. Hydrological component Dupuit-Forcheimer based model of the interaction between soil typology, climate water management regime and the water table:

17. Land Management Component - Agriculture Water regimes: Water regimes: Flooding Flooding Waterlogging Waterlogging Frequency Seasonality Duration Depth Standards of Agricultural Drainage Low HighRelative profitability of farming systems???

18. Beckingham Marshes Wetness of soils Land use GIS for mapping natural capital and ecosystems functions uses and values

19. Ecological component Scale Scale International – Ramsar Convention, Habitats Directive International – Ramsar Convention, Habitats Directive National – BAP priorities, SSSIs National – BAP priorities, SSSIs Regional / County – County BAPs, SINCs Regional / County – County BAPs, SINCs Local / Parish – species-rich hedgerows Local / Parish – species-rich hedgerows Significance of the population \ habitat Significance of the population \ habitat Threat Threat

20. Ecological component Modelling the effects of water regimes on biodiversity MG13: Inundation grassland inundation pasture habitat Water table depth below ground level, m Months, jan - dec

21. Stakeholder analysis Stakeholder interests in Beckingham Marshes FunctionUseStakeholders Production Agricultural production Farmers, Defra Regulation Flood water storage, drainage, carbon cycling? EA-FRM, IDB, farmers, local industry, RSPB Habitat Maintenance and enhancement of bio-diversity RSPB, EA-CONS, OnTrent, Notts WT, local residents Carrier Transport and settlements Local residents, local industry, farmers, local authority Information Amenity, landscape, recreation, history RSPB, local residents, local authority, Values (outcomes) Economic gains from crop & livestock production Avoided damage due to flooding, tradeable services Contribution to BAP targets Location for housing, roads, local industry: Property and service values, costs of alternatives Enjoyment of the countryside and related benefits: willingness to pay

22. Beckingham Marshes: Stakeholder analysis: water level management

23. Integration : Land use and habitat matrix Land use and habitat classification by flood and soil water regimes Winter flooding only Flooding at any time of year Drainage : RapidModerateSlowRapidModerateSlow Short duration flooding Arable, pasture, hay meadow, woodland Pasture, hay meadow, woodland Pasture, woodland Hay meadow, pasture, woodland Woodlan, pasture Swamp, pasture, woodland Medium duration flooding Hay meadow, pasture, woodland Pasture, woodland Pasture, swamp, woodland Pasture, woodland Pasture, woodland, swamp Swamp, pasture Long duration flooding Pasture, woodland Swamp, pasture, woodland Swamp, woodland SwampSwamp

24. Modelling land and water scenarios*: Beckingham : Scenarios Dominant land use > Arable farming Flood storage Wetlands Water management regime > Rapid drainage, low flood frequency Rapid drainage, high flood frequency Slow drainage, high flood frequency FunctionUse Production Agricultural productionHML Bio-fuel cropsHLM Regulation Flood water storageMHL Habitat Biodiversity targetLMH Carrier Road network/industryHML Information RecreationLLH EducationLLH *Based on monetary values

25. Outcomes of RELU Flood Plain Project Demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of an integrated approach Demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of an integrated approach Contribute to guidance on design and appraisal of land and water management options in floodplains Contribute to guidance on design and appraisal of land and water management options in floodplains Identify scope for joined up policy and action Identify scope for joined up policy and action

26. Implications for Policy to join up health, food and environment? Natural Capital: (Stocks) Ecosystem Services (Flows) Social Well-being (Livelihoods and Quality of Life) Sustainable development requires: Robust, evidenced based Robust, evidenced based Practical Practical Spatial Spatial Participatory Participatory Integrated Integrated frameworks that explicitly incorporate natural capital and ecosystem services into planning decisions frameworks that explicitly incorporate natural capital and ecosystem services into planning decisions

27. Research Based Policy : informing choices Develop understanding amongst stakeholders of ecosystem services and limits Develop understanding amongst stakeholders of ecosystem services and limits Derive preferences and values for ecosystem services using a range of methods Derive preferences and values for ecosystem services using a range of methods Use what if interactions supported by modelling Use what if interactions supported by modelling Develop for different scales of governance Develop for different scales of governance Key elements: Knowledge exchange Multi-criteria, limits/thresholds Collective choice Low High Low Expert based modelling Anecdotal elitism Participatory discussion Participatory modelling Participation Understanding

28. General Conclusions – drawn from the floodplain Policies for SD must be set within an ecosystems framework of capital, functions, uses and values Multiple sciences are needed to understand the trade- offs, synergies and limits involved Diverse collaborations and long term commitment are needed Scale, temporal and spatial, is critical Need a practical framework for a spatially differentiated ecosystems based approach to joined- up policy management and development planning Need regional and local experiments to show it can make a difference

29. Credits Research Team Cranfield University: Joe Morris, Tim Hess, Peter Leeds-Harrison, Paul Trawick, Quentin Dawson, Helena Posthumus, Open University: David Gowing, Jim Rouquette, Andy Blowers, River Restoration Centre: Jenny Mant Environmental Solutions: Graham Tucker Thanks to: various participating stakeholders, especially farmers various participating stakeholders, especially farmers RELU Programme Team UK Research Councils, and Defra and SEERAD

30. Reference material Contact email: j.morris@cranfield.ac.ukj.morris@cranfield.ac.uk Project website: http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/iwe/expertise/relu.htm:http://www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/iwe/expertise/relu.htm Selected references: Defra (2004) Making Space for Water. Developing a new government strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Reports on http://www.maweb.org/en/index.aspx Morris, J, Bannister, N., Hess, T.M., Gowing, D. J.G., Leeds-Harrison, P. B., Vivash, R., Wade, M. (2004) Integrated Washlands for Flood Defence and Biodiversity, Report to English Nature and Defra. English Nature Research Report Series No. 598. Peterborough: English Nature Penning-Rowsell E, Johnson C, Tunstall S, Tapsell S, Morris J, Chatterton J, and Green C, (2006) The Benefits of Flood and Coastal Risk Management. (i) A Manual of Techniques, (ii). A Handbook. Produced for Defra and Environment Agency. Enfield: Flood Hazard Research Centre, Middlesex University. Thorne, C., Evans, E. and Penning-Rowsell, E. (eds) (2006). Future Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risks. London: Thomas Telford