A project which aims to reduce Keswick’s flood risk has got a £50,000 boost.
West Cumbria Rivers Trust’s Resilient Glenderamackin scheme has been given the cash by Lloyds Banking Group.
The project is one of the largest catchment-based projects in the country and supported by The Rivers Trust and Nature Finance.
It aims to deliver nature-based solutions to reduce flood risk to Keswick whilst restoring nature and mitigating against climate change in the 142sq km Glendermackin catchment.
Not only will the project benefit the communities downstream of the Glenderamackin valley, it is being designed with farmers and will work in support of land managers and their businesses, the trust said.
Interventions will include re-wiggling rivers, planting trees and restoring wetlands. The team want to renaturalise 4km of river, improving the condition of soils and grasslands, create 185 hectares of new woodland and 185 hectares of scrub land, restore 45 hectares of ponds and wetlands, plant 6.3km of bunded floodplain hedges and 7km of ‘normal’ hedges and restore 30 hectares of peatland.
The project recently achieved a long-term environmental commitment from the Government by successfully becoming a DEFRA Landscape Recovery pilot.
Between 2018 and 2022 it has delivered Natural Flood Management and habitat enhancement work through working closely with a number of local farmers and landowners.
The Landscape Recovery application had the support of more than 40 land managers covering 11,000Ha, including three commons associations. Now these measures need to be delivered at scale, whilst developing a way to pay farmers and landowners to look after interventions for the long term.
The project team have developed an innovative financial model that links buyers and sellers of ecosystems services, it said.
A blend of public and private finance will allow farmers to be appropriately financed to host and maintain nature-based solutions on their land for 20-plus years, supporting upland farming and ensuring their sustainability into the future.
Vikki Salas, assistant director of West Cumbria Rivers Trust, said: “We’re delighted that Lloyds have chosen to invest in Resilient Glendermackin.
“This funding enables us to work closely with other private businesses to develop cases for investment in the project, both locally and further afield. This is an important project for our sector, and we hope to share any learnings to help unlock further support from the financial sector for important projects of this nature across the country.”