20 Year Strategy
Windrush Floodplain Meadow Restoration
FINAL DRAFT
Windrush Floodplain Meadows Restoration &
Natural Flood Management Strategy 2025 -
This second project funding by FiPL in the Windrush catchment is designed to advance the 2024 Floodplain Meadow Restoration Strategy.
Closely working with the Cotswold Rivers Trust, FWAG SW, and Glorious Cotswold Grasslands/CNL, we will restore at least five of the priority meadow sites identified in the strategy and develop land management plans for an additional five sites with the aim of securing future restoration opportunities.
In locations unsuited to meadows, using the newly developed Atkins Realis Studio tool for the catchment, we will design three site-specific plans for natural flood management features to enhance flood resilience and habitat quality - taking one to construction.
Windrush Floodplain Meadows Restoration (2022-2024)
This is a collaborative project between the Cluster, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, the Floodplain Meadows Partnership, Glorious Cotswold Grasslands and the Windrush Catchment Partnership and funded by Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL): Tapping into these expert networks we have compiled data across farms to inform floodplain meadow habitat restoration.
Click here for the final draft of the strategy produced as a result of this important project.
About the work to date:
Existing data on species rich floodplain grassland in the Windrush floodplain and its tributaries has been collated and mapped in early 2023 before a botanical survey took place in the summer to fill in data gaps.
The recommendations made will then support bespoke work with each landowner to restore the floodplain meadows at five flagship sites. Using all the learning from these five sites, we will produce a final strategy for comprehensive floodplain meadow management and restoration throughout the Windrush floodplain.