Over £14m funds announced for new research into land use and net zero

Five pioneering UK research projects have been given a share of £14.5 million funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and government partners to boost the UK’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The ambitious projects aim to revolutionise agricultural practices, land use change and soil health in the pursuit of a more … Read more

Help develop a new tool to better understand flooding in the Calder Valley – WYFLIP Accelerator project

Pictured demonstrating the spray can tool are Dr Stephanie Bond, iCASP impact translation fellow and Professor Steve Carver. We are asking practitioners or members of the Calderdale community whose role is connected with or who have experience of flooding, flood resilience or natural flood management in Calderdale to help us test an online map-based tool. … Read more

A magical new perspective on peatlands

Pictured at Malham Tarn This summer our UK Artists in residence for WaterLANDS,  Laura Harrington and Feral Practice, who are working with iCASP and partners, at the Great North Bog Action Site, spent a very wet and soggy day at Tennant’s Gill, near Malham Tarn in Yorkshire. They were carrying out explorative fieldwork with Professor of Aquatic Science Lee Brown, University … Read more

Could Meanwood Valley Farm be an ideal site to capture our imagination for what’s possible with Sustainable Drainage Systems? (SuDS)

Pictured: Participants take a tour of the Meanwood Valley Farm Members of West Yorkshire Flood Innovation Programme (WYFLIP) are currently exploring using Meanwood Valley Farm as a potential case study to demonstrate the many benefits of blue green infrastructure. Board member Vanessa Allen, principal engineer at Leeds City Council and Dr Sam Ramsden, impact translation … Read more

Anyone for a slice of Blanket Bog cake?

Antony (pictured) with his blanket bog cake More than a million tonnes of carbon are stored in Marsden Moor, in West Yorkshire – and the peatlands can  hold the equivalent annual emissions released by one million cars. These were findings of a four year study by Dr Antony Blundell, Senior Researcher and Martin Gilpin, Senior … Read more

Filming peatlands in the Great North Bog

Pictured: Andrew Walker from Yorkshire Water being filmed by Dan Waters from Adarak at Peat Moss A group of peatland enthusiasts took time out from their working day to join us making a video about vital restoration work which has transformed Fleet Moss and Nethergill. We were lucky as it was a beautiful sunny day … Read more

WaterLANDS Artists catch up to collaborate

Picture caption: Artists visit a meadow Our UK Artists in residence for WaterLANDS,  Laura Harrington and Feral Practice, who are working with us at the Great North Bog Action Site, enjoyed three fascinating days in Greifswald and Berlin, in Germany, on a knowledge exchange trip. They were selected for a part-time placement as part of the EU project, … Read more

Deliberative Workshop in Northumberland

A successful two-day event was held at Moss Peteral, a working farm in Northumberland, in May to discuss what is important to land managers in the landscapes they manage and possibilities for peatland restoration. They were hosted by Northumberland Peat Partnership, supported by members of the WaterLANDSUK team – Professor Julia Martin-Ortega, academic lead and … Read more

A network of digital sensors would be an ‘absolute dream’ for emergency planners during a flood incident – Mick Devine and Amy Boyd at Wakefield Council explain why.

Pictured: Flooding incident at Barnsdale Road Around 6,600 homes in the Wakefield district are permanently at risk of flooding from sudden storms. It’s actually surface water flooding that poses a bigger threat to the area than rising river levels as parts of the district’s drainage system could easily be overwhelmed by heavy rain. This is … Read more