A new report recommending planting trees to help tackle flooding is a breakthrough – now it is time for practical delivery and the impacts on the people that will provide the service must be recognised, the CLA has said.

The organisation (whose membership represents more than 10 million acres of rural land in England and Wales) welcomed the report which was funded by the Environment Agency, and highlighted the critical role of rural landowners in putting in place a range of flood prevention measures, including tree planting.

CLA President Ross Murray said; “The CLA has been actively calling for the type of whole river catchment, long-term approach that this report advocates. Planting new trees has a significant role to play in tackling flooding, depending on the catchment this could be appropriate for a flood plain or on uplands.

“Farmers and other land managers are essential to making this happen and they want to be a part of the solution. It is important now that focus turns to practical delivery, with the right support put in place to allow land managers to change how they use land in order to provide this service. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the Government and the Environment Agency to identify how funding streams and structures can be put in place to enable the benefits of long-term measures such as tree planting.

“The planting, and the results, won’t happen overnight so it is important to get the right processes put in place to enable delivery at the earliest opportunity.”

Ross Murray added; “In recent years the Government’s approach to flood management has been frustratingly piecemeal, and it is high time that the resources that are available are deployed in a more joined up and efficient way. River management should look at how best to manage both the threats and benefits of a river, at a catchment level.”