The CCRI recently completed a series of case studies produced with farmers, for farmers, on their journeys towards more regenerative floodplain management. These were a culmination of Flourishing Floodplains, a multi-year project working towards restoring the Severn and Avon Vale floodplains to their former glory. The project was a collaboration between the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, the Floodplain Meadows Partnership, FWAG South West and the Open University.
The videos and factsheets produced by the CCRI and contained within the case studies captured the experiences of farmers restoring their floodplains to increase biodiversity, store carbon, improve soil and water quality, connect people with nature and make best use of their land for their businesses.
CCRI team members Chris Short, Charlotte Chivers, Honor Mackley-Ward and Bee Ray-Smallcalder headed out into the field to capture insights from farmers on the motivations, challenges, and the advice they wish they’d had on restoring their floodplains. Charlotte presented the case studies at the Flourishing Floodplains wrap-up event in March, and they were well received by farmers, advisors and ornithologists attending.
Findings from our work will be fed into policy recommendations on improving floodplain management practices and farmer guidance developed by the project partners. The case studies will be published publicly soon, and shared across the websites of all partners involved in the Flourishing Floodplains project listed above.
