How trees can improve water quality and manage flooding
Planting the right tree, in the right place, can help manage flooding, improve water quality, and support aquatic habitats. Find out more in the collection of resources below.
Overview
From natural flood management to improving the quality of water, woodland creation can bring a variety of benefits to your land. This animation provides an overview of these benefits, as well as highlighting the support available through the England Woodland Creation Offer.
Watch How woodland benefits water animation to find out more.
Woods and Water fact sheet
Read about the benefits that tree planting and woodland creation bring to water management and water quality in our fact sheet.
Stackable payments available for benefits to water
Under the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO), your woodland creation scheme may be eligible for additional payments for the public goods your woodland provides. You could receive stackable payments up to £2,500/ha for benefits to water quality, reduced flood risk, and riparian buffers.
Other reading and resources
Find out more about the far-reaching benefits woods can bring to water with the further reading and resources below.
- Making space for nature – to benefit water blog
- How planting trees on our land can benefit nature, climate, and people (guest blog from Yorkshire Water and the National Trust)
- Right tree, right place, to support water and wildlife (guest blog from Eden Rivers Trust)
- How beavers and trees can support our waterways (guest blog from Devon Wildlife Trust)
- Inspiring Woodland Creation: Woods and Water webinar
- Tree planting for water and biodiversity in West Cumbria (guest video case study from West Cumbria Rivers Trust)
Visit the tree planting and woodland creation overview page to learn more about the wider benefits of woodland, or read our case studies to see tree planting in action.