Restoring River Corridors and Wetland Buffers in the UK
Bio-Capital Use Case 5 focuses on restoring river corridors and wetlands in South Devon, UK. Discover how nature-based solutions and financial innovations are helping to restore biodiversity, improve water quality, and build climate resilience in this vital landscape.
What is Use Case 5 About?
Use Case 5 (UC5) focuses on the restoration of river corridors and wetland buffers in South Devon, UK. These ecosystems are vital for maintaining biodiversity, regulating water quality, managing flood risks, and supporting carbon sequestration. However, they face significant degradation due to intensive agricultural practices and urban development. UC5 aims to address these challenges by using innovative nature-based solutions and financial mechanisms to restore these critical ecosystems while enhancing their biodiversity and resilience .
Where is This Use Case Being Implemented?
UC5 is implemented in the river catchments of South Devon, specifically focusing on improving the ecological health of river corridors and wetland buffers. These regions are critical for regulating water flow and quality, as well as providing habitats for numerous species. The intensive agricultural activity in this area has led to habitat loss, reduced water quality, and increased flood risk, making it a priority for biodiversity restoration .
When is the Project Timeline?
As part of the BIO-CAPITAL project, UC5 began in June 2024 and will continue over 42 months. Throughout this period, key restoration activities will be monitored and evaluated to ensure that they deliver both ecological and economic benefits. Remote sensing and other advanced technologies will be used to track changes in ecosystem health and water quality .
Who is Involved?
UC5 involves a collaborative effort between various stakeholders, including the Westcountry Rivers Trust, local authorities, farmers, and conservation organizations. Financial institutions are also key players, supporting innovative financial mechanisms such as Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Biodiversity Offsets. These tools aim to incentivize landowners to adopt practices that restore and protect biodiversity within river corridors and wetlands .
Why Is UC5 Important?
River corridors and wetlands provide essential ecosystem services, including water purification, flood mitigation, carbon storage, and biodiversity support. However, in South Devon, these ecosystems have been severely impacted by agricultural runoff, sedimentation, and habitat fragmentation. UC5 seeks to reverse these negative impacts by implementing nature-based solutions such as riparian buffers and wetland restoration.
In addition to the ecological benefits, UC5 introduces innovative financial mechanisms like PES, which compensates landowners for maintaining and restoring ecosystem services. By aligning economic incentives with environmental goals, UC5 ensures that landowners have a financial reason to engage in biodiversity conservation. This model not only enhances biodiversity but also provides long-term solutions to water management and climate resilience.
