The ecological value of floodplains: Implication for washland creation on rural floodplains along the River Trent

Given the increasing flood risk there is an ongoing debate about the need for asustainable flood risk management in England and Wales. This new approach integratesflood defence with environmental, social and economic aspects. The Governmentalstrategies and European Directives combine flood protection with water quality andecological objectives by promoting washland creation on rural floodplains. The creationof washland is a real opportunity to re-establish lost biodiversity and at the same timedeal with the excess flood waters.This research project explored the link between floodplain management andbiodiversity. The aim was to determine the ecological value on rural floodplains and thepotential for washland creation.Two case study sites were chosen along the River Trent valley. They were: BeckinghamMarshes and Burton Meadows. Data was collected for each site through an ecologicalsurvey. The assessment of these site’s ecological values was completed using theEcological Impact Assessment approach. Finally, the potential impact of washlandcreation on the biodiversity was evaluated for each case study site for differentscenarios of water management and land use.The results of this research show that there is an explicit link between the managementof rural floodplains and their ecological values. The ecological values of both case studysites was low as affected by an intensive, past and present agricultural practices. Thecreation of washland provides an opportunity to enhance wildlife by the creation ofdiverse, wet grasslands which will be suitable for a variety of flora and fauna species.Nevertheless, restoration is driven by complex needs, thus proposals for washlandcreation need to be well defined.Full surveys at both the researches sites need to be carried out to wholly assess thebiodiversity potential and their changes. The developed framework can be applied tolook at ecological values at other floodplains.

This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. The thesis sets out the results of a structured programme of research or design, development or management studies demonstrating the candidate's own ability to conduct original investigations, to test ideas (either from the candidate's own or those of others) and to obtain appropriate conclusions from the work. Unlike the situation applicable for theses produced in connection with doctoral degrees, candidates are not required to exercise independent critical judgement in the relevant field of study or to make an original contribution to knowledge. A Master's thesis is not intended to be an absolutely definitive work on the subject to which it relates. Theses encapsulate and present the results of a programme of study and research, undertaken in a defined period of time, and do so in a way that has satisfied the assessment requirements for the degree to which they relate.