Picture a forest meadow, a patch of wetland or a stretch of grassland. These quiet spaces, so often overlooked, could be the key to protecting Canada’s cities from floods.
Picture a forest meadow, a patch of wetland or a stretch of grassland. These quiet spaces, so often overlooked, could be the key to protecting Canada’s cities from floods. A UBC study finds that conserving just five per cent of watersheds (two per cent of Canada’s land) could shield more than half of urban floodplains, safeguarding millions.
Study author and UBC forestry expert Dr. Matthew Mitchell calls this research the first of its kind in Canada to explore how ecosystems function as natural flood buffers.
When these areas are preserved, they absorb water, slow runoff and reduce the strain on flood defences. All of this could mean fewer dams, less infrastructure and fewer floods.
Read More: University of British Columbia
Photo Credit: Daniel Mirlea from Unsplash
