Thames21 shares plans to further develop nature-based solutions

Thames21, an environmental charity working to improve England’s Thames River, has shared its latest five year plan, with ambitions to help further develop nature-based solutions that better prepare the Thames and its tributaries for the impacts of droughts and floods.

“The clock is ticking on preparing the river networks for the extremes of weather heading toward us,” says Debbie Leach, CEO of Thames21. “This is Thames21’s own plan – we need to hear more from all sectors and how plans will work together to protect not just our capital city and communities of the Thames Basin but to protect people around the country and around the world.”

Creating wetlands, planting trees, and supporting sustainable drainage systems to help improve biodiversity and help capture rainwater to reduce flood risks are just some of the solutions that the charity says it will be developing between 2023 and 2028.

“Two decades on from its inception, Thames21 has developed a strong reputation for its work on delivering long-term environmental improvements to our rivers,” Leach says. “This must continue. We now have an ambitious five year plan, which will ramp up our efforts to make rivers and communities climate-resilient through initiatives such as nature-based solutions and river restoration programs.

Thames21 is currently working with partners to develop and implement a freshwater habitat creation and floodplain restoration scheme along the River Rom in East London. Wetland habitats will be restored to improve wildlife, biodiversity and help store flood water.

This work forms part of three priority areas featured in Thames21’s five year plan, which include:

• Tackling the Climate Emergency through creating climate-resilient rivers and communities
• Tackling the Nature Emergency by supporting healthy, varied wildlife populations in rivers and catchments
• Tackling the Social Emergency by working to improve the health and wellbeing of people and communities

Thames21 also has the ambitious aim of expanding the number of volunteers actively involved in learning maintenance and river improvement projects to 12,000 by 2028.

“We will work in partnership across all sectors to achieve our vision of a healthy river and achieve the objectives that we have set in our three priority areas over the next five years,” Leach says. “We must all act now, and act together, to protect our communities, wildlife and key economic center from the impacts of the Climate Emergency. We will do this through our rivers.”