THE 20 Year Flood Action Plan to maximise natural flood management on the Somerset Levels has received a £100,000 boost from the Prince’s Countryside Fund.
The Royal Bath and West Society and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West both get £50,000.
A spokeswoman said: “Now the funds can be used as a crucial first stage for developing an advice and support package throughout the Levels and Moors catchment, to encourage land use that stops or slows water from entering river courses and maximises natural flood management.
“It will also be the preliminary work to enable a £550,000 award from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership announced last year for the Flood Action Plan’s land management work, to be used for small scale capital works on farms to hold water back.”
Edwin White, chairman of the RBWS Somerset Levels Development Fund, said: “Our mission is to develop agriculture, grow the rural economy and protect the environment and through our leadership of the fund we feel that this project delivers a truly integrated programme that will benefit all who live and work on the Levels.”
Ann Langdon, senior advisor for FWAGSW, said: “This money will enable us to work with farmers with land above the Levels, to increase the water holding capacity of their soils - which will help reduce flooding down on the Levels.
“It will also enable us to continue work looking at ways to increase grassland resilience in areas which flood."
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