How farmers and Natural England are working together to protect Yorkshire's precious landscape

She said the project, which has established focus areas in Appersett, Hunton, Masham, Bishop Monkton and Arkengarthdale, was allowing Natural England to contribute to a shared vision: restoring landscapes for farming, nature and people.

Natural flood management is an approach that works alongside natural processes to reduce flood risk.

Rather than relying solely on traditional flood defences, it uses techniques like tree planting, wetland creation and river re-meandering to slow the flow of water through the landscape. It can also involve installing leaky dams.

Each of these methods help increase roughness in the landscape, slowing and storing surface water.

Emma said: “Our projects are fully funded, expertly managed and delivered by our delivery team, ensuring no cost or administrative burden for participating landowners and tenants.”

One of the projects in the scheme has been estimated to have created some 317m3 of effective modelled water storage, showcasing the impact on flood resilience with enhanced habitats, benefiting insects to at-risk species like the curlew and white-clawed crayfish.

One of the landowners involved in the project, Andrew Fagg, has seen five ponds introduced on his 13-acre Upper Wensleydale farm.

He said: “The Ousewem delivery team have been like angels. The work they have done will make the land capable of holding more water, and will hopefully make the mire even better for snipe and other waders.

"The restored boundaries, buffer strip and new water trough will help me manage the cattle, enabling me to keep them off the wettest areas of the land during times of high rainfall."

Appersett landowner Nick Prince added the project had been a “rewarding experience”.

He said: "The team’s expertise and support have shown how natural flood management interventions, when approached together, can make a bit difference – not just for managing water on my land, but for wildlife and the farm’s future too.

"I’d encourage other landowners to get involved. It’s a win for everyone."

Emma said one of the biggest challenges ahead would be securing long-term funding for natural flood management.

She said: “We hope schemes like Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier can offer viable support for farmers in the SUNO catchment -helping them implement flood management measures as part of productive, sustainable land management.

"It’s vital that future agri-environment schemes continue to recognise the value of natural flood management - not just for flood resilience, but for biodiversity, carbon and sustainable food production too.”