I’m an environmental expert: here’s how Labor can solve the river crisis

The UK’s nature-depleted rivers could be transformed by planting belts of trees and other wildlife-rich vegetation along their banks, according to the chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts.

Craig Bennett’s “big idea” to “reimagine what rivers can look like” would see Labor introduce a policy to ensure rivers have a “vegetation buffer” of between five and 50 metres, according to the location.

This would provide valuable habitat for nature, reduce the risk of flooding, reduce soil erosion on river banks and absorb CO2 responsible for global warming, he argued.

It would also reduce pollution from agricultural runoff caused by livestock and chicken farming and fertilizers, and improve the appearance of the area for wildlife walkers and swimmers.

Bennett, who was previously head of Friends of the Earth, warned that the UK’s river crisis goes far beyond the sewage problem, significant as it is.

Nature in many river areas is heavily depleted, largely due to pollution – while the UK falls far behind its biodiversity pledge to protect 30% of land and seas for nature here 2030 – so this policy would address both of those issues, Bennett added. .

“Let’s create very large “wildlife corridors” along our rivers. It would be amazing if every river in Britain had a vegetation buffer alongside it,” he said. The paper i.

“It’s really hard to imagine a single policy that would do so much for our planet right now. This would retain water in the landscape, reducing flooding. And in doing so, it would reduce agricultural runoff into our rivers, which is actually the largest source of pollution in our rivers.

“This would stop soil erosion by preventing soil from flowing into water and create wildlife corridors across the country, providing habitat for birds and insects and, therefore, more food for fish.

“And when trees grow over rivers, they shade them, keeping them cool during the hot months – which is very important for fish populations and fry in particular.”

Bennett said government regulations should ensure a minimum vegetation buffer of about 5 to 10 meters on either side of the river, where possible.

He suggested offering generous financial incentives to farmers and other landowners to create buffer zones of about 30 to 50 meters on each side — a scale that would create a giant “wilderness belt” for animals, birds, plants and trees.

Although there may be some areas, such as central London, where it is not possible to have even a small buffer, “there are large stretches of the River Thames, even in London , where maybe you could do it,” he said.

“This would benefit tens of millions of people who want to bathe in nature and be able to walk or cycle along our rivers. And it would benefit farmers, who have seen huge amounts of farmland flooded.

Bennett has spoken to politicians, environmentalists and farmers about his idea and, although nothing concrete has happened yet, “no one is really saying it’s a bad idea, which I can find – it doesn’t product just not yet. But I hope that in the next year or so we can come to a consensus to make this happen.

“There is a lot of support for this project, at least conceptually. And there seems to be a lot of positive noise from the government about it, even if it hasn’t happened yet.”

He highlighted that Labor had committed to nine new river walks across England in its election manifesto, “and this fits right in with that”.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: “We have just announced our new enhanced Higher Level Countryside Stewardship scheme with actions to improve flood resilience and nature recovery, including riparian buffer strips.

“This is part of our £5 billion investment in agriculture over the next two years – the largest ever in sustainable food production and nature recovery in our country’s history.”

A “spectacular natural recovery” which transformed a river in Europe

A major restoration project has transformed a 45km section of the Meuse that runs along the border between the Netherlands and Belgium.

According to a study of the project, it reduced flood risks, made nature healthier and more diverse and even boosted the local economy through increased tourism.

The section, known as the Border Meuse, runs between Maastricht and Roosteren. The project involved Rewilding Europe.

“Over the past three decades, restoration has been a triple victory for nature and for people,” says Frans Schepers, managing director of Rewilding Europe, who worked on the Border Meuse project for 12 years.

Large areas surrounding the river were lowered and the river itself widened. There are sand and gravel bars, side arms, varied shorelines and areas of meadows and forests.

This led to a “dramatic natural recovery of animals and plants.” Species such as beavers and black poplars have recolonized the region, while the introduction of free-roaming herds of Konik horses and Galloway cattle have improved natural grazing, which has increased biodiversity,” the report says.

Local people and visitors alike have benefited, thanks to marked routes allowing access for cyclists, walkers, fishermen and canoeists.

The local economy has received a significant boost from nature-based tourism, with direct revenues estimated at over €25 million each year.

The risk of flooding for adjacent villages and towns has been reduced. This was demonstrated during severe flooding in Western Europe in July 2021, when dozens of people died and enormous economic damage was caused in Belgium and Germany on the Meuse and Upper Rhine.

However, thanks to its widened bed, the border Meuse, also strongly swollen, resisted flooding very well, without serious casualties and little economic damage, according to the report.