1. Through urban river restoration
Multiple Benefits
Through urban river restoration
KILLER FACT: Visitors to Ladywell Fields urban greenspace in South London increased by >250% after restoration of the River Ravensbourne through the park
Many events now held there every year: social cohesion, environmental education and awareness
KILLER FACT: Visitors to Ladywell Fields urban greenspace in South London increased by >250% after restoration of the River Ravensbourne through the park

2. Multiple Benefits Through urban flood risk management
Quaggy Sutcliffe Park: a “day lighted” river with associated wetlands – now a designated nature reserve
This 2003 flood risk management scheme created 85,000 cubic metres of flood storage, significantly reducing the risk of flooding to 600 properties and EA maintenance costs
KILLER FACT from the Middlesex University Socio-economic study of the R. Quaggy: The average amount of time spent per person in Sutcliffe Park increased by 44% after “day lighting” of the river. In addition to spending more time in the park per visit, people visited more often and walked from further afield to visit the park.
Properties adjacent to parks like this in London are worth an extra a 5-7% In this photo there are approx 700 properties within easy walking distance of the park and the average price for a property in these streets is currently £350K. 7% thus equates to £17M of property value alone.
River Quaggy at Sutcliffe Park, South London,
before and after flood alleviation work
KILLER FACT from the Middlesex University socio-economic study of the R. Quaggy: The average amount of time spent per person in Sutcliffe Park increased by 44% after “day lighting” of the river

3. Multiple Benefits Through flood storage area enhancement
KILLER FACT: There are at least 400 flood storage areas over 5 ha in size in England, most of which are of very limited biodiversity value, so there is great scope for enhancing existing wetland areas.
The award-winning Beam Parklands Project centred on the Dagenham Washlands in the East end of London is a great example of what can be done to enhance flood storage areas and provide multiple benefits.
The flood storage area itself protects 400 homes, the Ford Works and Barking Power station which supplies a third of London’s electricity.
This project has also delivered 53 hectares of green space with a mosaic of habitats and significantly improved flood storage, providing multi-functional benefits to the local communities and businesses, including exciting recreational space for children to play, learn about and interact with the natural world.
Flood storage area of very limited biodiversity value
River Beam Parklands, Dagenham
KILLER FACT: There are approximately 400 flood storage areas >5 ha in size in England, most of which are of very limited biodiversity value

4. Surface water collection pond, Dunfermline
Multiple benefits
Through sustainable urban drainage schemes (SUDS)
Surface water collection pond, Dunfermline
KILLER FACT from Environment Agency Introduction to SUDS: On average, urbanisation without SUDS trebles the rate of run-off during storm events
Overall the maintenance costs associated with the Lamb Drove SUDS at Cambourne in Cambridgeshire were 4% lower when compared to costs associated with an equivalent conventional pipe drainage systems.
Need more evidence of the water quality and flood attenuation benefits of SUDS – it must be out there?
Green roof, London
SUDS for Schools project, Queen Elizabeth Girls’ School, Pymmes Brook catchment, North London
KILLER FACT from Environment Agency Introduction to SUDS: On average, urbanisation without SUDS trebles the rate of run-off during storm events

5. SUDS for Schools examples
Susi Earnshaw Theatre School, Pymmes Brook catchment, North London
Involving and educating children
Queen Elizabeth Girls’ School, Pymmes Brook catchment, North London

6. Multiple Benefits Through coastal realignment
Alkborough Flats managed realignment project, Humber Estuary
KILLER FACT from EA Ecosystem Services Case Studies report: Alkborough Flats 400 ha managed realignment scheme cost approx. £10M and provided £12M of storm protection to land and property. Other ecosystem service benefits include carbon storage, recreation and educational use.
Steart managed retreat scheme- a large coastal flood risk management scheme just completed
Reduces the flood risk to 75 local properties; Helps to reduce impacts of sea level rise throughout Severn estuary, provides statutorily required compensatory intertidal habitat
Created 8 km of new footpath, bridleway and cycle path, 4 bird hides. Very popular with local people and visitors, generates income for the local economy
Improves water quality in the estuary by feeding local catchment water through wetlands
Provides important nursery area for commercial fish species including Sea Bass
Provides opportunities for extensive traditional rare breeds of cattle and sheep grazing including development of saltmarsh lamb and beef enterprises
Creates hugely valuable habitat for wetland birds. Even during construction, Steart was already attracting large numbers : eg in winter 12/ Shelduck, 500 Teal, 1000 Golden Plover, 4500 Lapwing, 1200 Dunlin
Steart managed realignment project, Severn Estuary
KILLER FACT from EA Ecosystem Services Case Studies report: 400 ha Alkborough Flats managed realignment scheme cost app. £10M and provided £12M of storm protection to land and property. Other ecosystem service benefits = app. £1M p.a.

7. Multiple Benefits Through soil management
KILLER FACT from Defra Soil Strategy for England 2009: The water treatment cost of soil erosion is approx. £21 million p.a. in England. Agriculture is responsible for 75% of the sediment in rivers and 25% of the phosphorus
2.2 million tonnes of silt – i.e. topsoil - is lost from the land each year in the UK
The total cost to society of trying to remove it from rivers and lakes is around £45M –actual cost to farmers, water quality treatment costs and dredging costs.
In UK 2013/14 we had 12 major flood events which lead to increasing pressure to dredge rivers.....very costly and not sustainable, better to work with farmers to keep their soil on their land where it is needed for productive agriculture, and out of our rivers where it compromises ecological quality
The cost of purchasing 2.2 million tonnes of topsoil would be approximately £40M if bought by the tonne!
KILLER FACT from Defra Soil Strategy for England 2009: The water treatment cost of soil erosion is approximately £21 million p.a. in England. Agriculture is responsible for 75% of the sediment in rivers and 25% of the phosphorus

8. Washing topsoil down the drain – January 2014
2014 was the wettest winter on record in UK, 12 separate major flood events.
In conclusion:
End of pipe solutions are not going to solve all our problems, we need to look for less costly, more sustainable alternatives that involve local landowners and communities and give us multiple benefits, especially important in times of economic restraint.
It is no longer reasonable to claim there is not enough evidence to show the benefits of working with /enhancing natural processes. We have a growing body of evidence to show that natural water retention solutions contribute to, for example flood risk management, whilst delivering other significant benefits.
However we do need to do more and collect better evidence on the best mix of solutions to apply in any given situation to help refine our decision-making. We need to do the right things in the right places and at the right scale.
It is essential that we continue to monitor the excellent projects that are out there to ensure that the knowledge we gain from them is rapidly and extensively disseminated.
This is not the time to be seeking perfection from the evidence - we must combine commonsense and pragmatism with the best available information and crack on with engendering a step-change in the application of these natural flood management solutions that will achieve multiple benefits to society.
Washing topsoil down the drain – January 2014

9. Thank you for your attention
We need to deal with our environmental challenges in a much more integrated way and share information across Europe on the effectiveness of measures. We need long term holistic and sustainable solutions that benefit all and save money.
By taking an ecosystems approach on a landscape scale we can optimise the benefits we get from nature. We can encourage dynamic natural processes by improving, increasing and joining up our remaining habitats ("bigger, better, more and joined"), which will in turn help to increase our resilience to climate change (floods and droughts). Making space for water and nature has never been more critically important.
We are currently looking at what might be preventing widespread adoption of an ecosystems approach and developing an action plan for the EA to embed it in our daily work
Please let us know of any relevant studies that might have empirical information that provides the evidence we all need to implement measures based on working with natural processes and restoring functioning ecosystems that can yield multiple benefits to society
Bruce Pearson’s Vision for the Great Fen
Our joint Vision for wetlands for multiple benefits