Securing the future of species-rich meadows through improved water management regimes
Innovations in floodplain management, led by The Open University, are helping to secure the future of this ancient and species-rich feature of the British landscape.
The UK’s floodplain meadows evolved over hundreds of years to host a diverse community of plants.
They help to protect our homes from flooding by storing vast quantities of water, and they mitigate the effects of global warming by sequestering (storing) carbon. But many have been destroyed or are at risk from changes in land management and climate.
Research, led by Professor David Gowing in The Open University’s Biodiversity and Ecosystems group, has demonstrated how the ecology of these vulnerable sites is dependent upon water management regimes.
The group has developed a new method for quantifying the relationship between the composition of plants in a floodplain area, and variations in soil wetness.
Many meadow sites have altered their management practices in response to these findings.
'The Partnership has become the first point of contact for people with questions about the management of floodplain meadows.'
The findings are also the basis of the UK Government Environment Agency’s guidelines. These provide practical advice on conservation and management for floodplain meadow site managers.
The work has led to the formation of the ongoing Floodplain Meadows Partnership, which interacts with conservation practitioners, landowners and other stakeholders to put into practice new understanding arising from the research.
The Partnership has become the first point of contact for people with questions about the management of floodplain meadows.
To date, the floodplain meadows research team has visited more than 100 sites across England and Wales to gather data and provide advice.
The Floodplain Meadows Partnership members are: The Open University; the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; the Environment Agency; Natural England; the Field Studies Council; the Grasslands Trust; the Wildlife Trusts; the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Watch the video to find out more about this research.
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