The environment secretary, Angela Eagle, is set to announce on Wednesday morning that the government will fund the planting of half a million trees in England over the next three years as part of a wider push to bolster natural defences against extreme weather.
Under the plan, responsibility and new funding will be directed to mayors, local authorities, charities and grassroots organisations to support the restoration of wetlands, riverbanks, meadows and other natural habitats. Officials say these nature-based measures are intended to supplement engineered flood defences and improve resilience to droughts.
Natural flood management techniques — such as rewetting wetlands and restoring river edges — can slow and store water during heavy rainfall, while meadows and tree cover can increase soil moisture retention during dry spells. The announcement frames the programme as part of the government's strategy to reduce the damage and disruption caused by increasingly volatile weather patterns.
The pledge comes as local bodies and community groups are to be given a greater role in delivering landscape restoration projects. Details on the size of the funding packages, specific project locations and how the planting programme will be monitored and evaluated are expected to be set out alongside Wednesday's announcement.
Ministers have presented nature-based approaches as complementary to traditional infrastructure investment, arguing they can provide multiple benefits including biodiversity gains and recreational spaces. Observers will be watching for how quickly the measures are rolled out and how responsibilities and resources are allocated between national and local partners.