The Severn is the UK’s longest river, flowing from Welsh mountains to idyllic English countryside, and winding through some of the UK’s most beautiful agricultural land.
The Severn connects a vast river network which suffers from extensive flooding. Major rivers like the Teme and Warwickshire Avon are affected.
Flooding is expected to worsen. With poor water quality and key ecosystems also in decline, urgent action is needed for the benefit of both people and nature.
The programme
We are joining forces with landowners, environmental experts and businesses to restore the health of our rivers and the landscape around them.
By operating at scale we can deliver connected landscapes which multiply the benefits to nature. And focusing on funder goals and the needs of farmers, means benefits for the people who live in, visit and operate in the landscape.
With teams at work from Welsh hills to down to the sea, this is a nationally-significant nature recovery initiative.
The Severn in numbers
702 km2
of land in the Severn catchment is at risk of flooding, significantly impacting agriculture, homes, business and nature
220 miles
is the length of the Severn, the UK’s longest river that links a vast river network
107 m3
is the amount of water carried by the Severn every second as it flows through Gloucestershire, the most of any English or Welsh river
Our work on the river network
The Severn and its tributaries shape the heart of the British landscape, from the high hills to a vast floodplain of outstanding beauty. Once a mosaic of rich, diverse habitats where farming and nature thrived, economic and policy pressures together with climate change have broken the balance. The impact is felt along the length of the River Severn and its tributaries.
But damage to our natural environmental is reversible. There is huge potential to reinstate a robust, healthy and natural landscape alongside these great rivers, if we take collaborative action now.
Working in partnership, our aims for this programme are to:
Reduce
the impact of flooding on local communities and improve water quality by introducing more wetlands, woodlands and floodplains meadows.
Develop
new relationships with businesses to meet their environmental goals, build farmer success and support nature recovery.
Enhance
biodiversity by creating ‘nature corridors’ that connect our habitats, and restoring precious, nature-friendly landscapes.
Increase
public access to these areas of outstanding beauty and nature. With cities like Telford, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Gloucester close to our rivers, we have a valuable opportunity to connect people with nature.
Current projects in the Severn catchments
Restoring floodplains in the Severn Vale
The Severn floodplain is a defining feature of Britains’ national landscape. Extending from Welshpool in Wales to Coventry in the east, and running round the south of Birmingham, thousands of square kilometers of land are virtually flat, crossed by dozens of slow moving rivers and streams. A place of farms, towns and villages, it now faces rising flooding, water quality problems and nature collapse. The impacts are significant for all.
We’re working to restore these vital floodplains for the benefit of nature – and all who live in, visit and operate in the landscape
Managing land and water in Mid Wales
Working in partnership with farmers and environmental bodies, we’re developing a project in Montgomeryshire to better manage the flow of water along the river – with ambitious aims to benefit people, improve water quality and boost nature and biodiversity.
This area is the home to strong local communities and is an essential water source for people downstream. Find out how we can work together to define new stories of nature recovery.
Building new models for funding
With support from Defra, we’re developing new funding models for nature recovery along the river system. Focused initially on specific farms in Shropshire, the work will develop approaches which can be deployed in flood-affected areas along the length of the Severn, the Warwickshire Avon and their tributaries.
Find out more about our work with farmers and financial analysts to develop ways of funding land-use change – to benefit nature, farmers and investors.
How to get involved
If you’re working towards nature’s recovery in the Severn & Wye regions, we want to hear from you. Whether you’re a landowner, environmental agency or business with sustainability needs, get in touch to see how we can work together today.
