THE NEW 20-year flood management strategy for England has been welcomed by the county's wildlife trust.
Water for wildlife officer Andy Graham said it would benefit wildlife and biodiversity.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has drawn up the strategy in response to Government consultation last year.
It recognises that it is no longer practical to contain floodwater in rivers and proposes using farm and other unoccupied low lying land to receive floodwater. This will give better protection to housing and roads.
"As well as encouraging areas of floodplain farmland to be managed more extensively in areas that flood most frequently, there is also the opportunity to manage land much more positively for wildlife," said Mr Graham.
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