Natural flood management and infrastructure improvement works at Blean Woods

The RSPB has secured funding through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund to deliver the 'Climate Resilience for Blean Woods and Seasalter Levels' project. The funding is administered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency. The overall aim of the works within this document is to enhance the resilience of Blean Woods to projected changes in climate, through reversing the effects of man-made drainage and increasing water retention within the woodland, in addition to improving accessibility. The work will be carried out across one RSPB reserve and two Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) reserves, which total 1328ha of woodland, 999ha of which is designated as SSSI.

Climate change projections predict increased rainfall in winter, but hotter and drier summers, particularly in the south of England. Drier spring and summers coupled with man-made drainage features in the woodland will result in Blean Woods drying out at an accelerated rate in the spring. The lack of moist soil and standing water will result in fewer invertebrates, less deadwood generation and fewer drinking opportunities - all vital to support a healthy woodland for wildlife. To mitigate against this, we aim to slow the drainage of high rainfall events from Blean Woods to retain that water on site for longer as both standing water and moisture content in soils. The project will create earth and wood dams in primary watercourses to achieve this aim, using site-won materials.

The work will focus on using Natural Flood Management (NFM) principles that have been used for flood management projects - working along key watercourses at all 3 sites to slow the flow using predominantly wood dams and some earth dams. This tender also includes works for 2 exciting sub-projects using the same principles: restoration of the Sarre Penn at RSPB Blean and a raised bog at KWT South Blean. The Sarre Penn is the largest watercourse at RSPB Blean that has been artificially straightened for drainage in certain locations - leaving the historic meanders 'high and dry'. This project will aim to restore these natural meanders to their former glory, as well as slowing the high winter flows of the overall channel. The bog restoration will involve increasing water retention using wood and earth dams, and tree clearance to create a diverse mosaic of wet woodland and ancient bog habitats. In addition to the exciting and unique habitat works, we also have infrastructure improvements to complete that involve trackside ditching, crossing point improvements and the construction of a boardwalk - all to improve the accessibility and overall visitor experience of our sites.

Details of how to apply in Tender document attached