Freuchie Flood Action Group was joined last Tuesday afternoon by representatives from the Scottish Flood Forum on a guided tour of the River Devon Natural Flood Management Demonstration Site by Mike Donaghy of the World Wildlife Fund (WFF).

 
Photo: (left to right) Paul Hendy of the Scottish Flood Forum; Mike Donaghy of the WWF; Neil Duff, John Thomson and Jim Mullen of FFAG; and Amanda Davies, also of the Scottish Flood Forum 

This WWF developed and managed project was established in 2003 to aid in the understanding of natural sustainable flood management processes and systems. It has previously been visited by members of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee as part of their inquiry for the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill. A report of this visit is available from the Scottish Parliament website.

Shown below are some of the natural sustainable flood management techniques employed at this site: leaky barriers;  barriers to introduce meander into the river course; tree planting; and creation of bog land.

   
Photos: Various natural sustainable flood management techniques

Freuchie Flood Action Group would like to thank Mike Donaghy of the WWF for showing us around this interesting project and more specifically for giving us much food for thought for the future.

Mike Donaghy of the WWF is a world renowned expert on natural sustainable flood management and an advisor to the Scottish Government on flooding matters. He recently gave evidence on natural sustainable flood management to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee and most certainly had a big influence on the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill currently working its way through the Scottish Parliament.

Technorati Tags: flooding, Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group, natural sustainable flood management, River Devon, Scottish Flood Forum, WWF