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Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111

EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL ENVIRONMENT

Brussels, 8.3.2011 DG ENV/D.1 – Ares (2011) 236452

ANNEX: TOWARDS BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL OPTIONS FOR FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION TO BACKGROUND NOTES

This annex contains further information to illustrate the note on "Towards Better Environmental Options for Flood risk management". It provides information on best practice examples, which have been implemented for natural flood risk management in Europe, and gives relevant background on methodologies which have been used to put the principles of ecosystem-based approaches and Green Infrastructure for flood risk management into practice.

Part I on Natural flood management methods and water ecosystem services introduces a number of tested techniques for natural approaches, which might be concretely applied on local scale on the ground to reduce floods.

Part II: An explanation on the ecological importance of rivers – focussing on the services river ecosystems deliver to us. Such information leads to informed choices when designing best environmental options for flood risk management.

Part III lists good practice examples on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), in particular on recommendations for measures to implement new approaches to flood risk management. The flood-related examples are taken from the document “WFD and Hydro-morphological pressures: Policy Paper. – Focus on hydropower, navigation and flood defence activities. Recommendations for better policy integration. Best practices document on Hydromorphology”.

Part IV presents a number of projects which have restored floodplain ecosystems, and at the same time contributed to flood prevention, as examples for Green Infrastructure elements. Those projects have been co-financed by the EU LIFE funding instrument.

Part V finally lists key references and documents for further reading.

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PART I: NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT METHODS AND WATER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

TABLE 1: SAMPLE OF TECHNIQUES FOR NATURAL APPROACHES IN REDUCING FLOODING

(SOURCE MNV CONSULTING1)

- continued on following page -

11 Extract Report of the WG F Thematic workshop on Catchment Flood Risk Management, 15-16.10.2009.

http://circa.europa.eu/Members/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/floods_programme_1/b_wg_f_on_floods/27-28_october_2010/documents/wgf8-3-report_approach-w/_EN_1.0_&a=d

SFM Technique Example

Rip

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Floo

dpla

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Cat

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wid

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Potential locations Key goals Notes

Hedgerow planting and management

Planted across-slope along

existing field boundaries

To enhance infiltration and

storage within soils, and to impede

overland flow of water and sediments

Perhaps suited to more intensive

agricultural landscapes

Channel re-profiling

Creating a two-stage channel

To maintain adequate depths

during low flows, enhance winter

storage and encourage more

natural morphology

Requires consultation with statutory bodies

Blocking of inappropriate

artificial drains using dams (permanent)

Any artificial drain

throughout catchment, provided it would not

increase flood risk to structures

or property

To slow flows, enhance water

storage and intercept excess sediments. Will eventually fill in

over time

Blockages may be constructed by

LWD, earth, rocks, bales of hay or heather.

Plastic piling may be required if

incision reaches mineral

substrates

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SFM Technique Example

Rip

aria

n

Floo

dpla

in

Cat

chm

ent-

wid

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Potential locations Key goals Notes

Wetland restoration

Flat upland areas,

hillfoots and floodplains

prone to waterlogging

To enhance flood storage

capacity throughout the

catchment

Can be online

(i.e. physically linked to watercourse) or offline (e.g. on flat hilltops)

Gully woodland planting

Upland gullies

To impede rapid runoff

entering steep channels and to contribute

LWD to channel

May require livestock fencing

Native mixed

woodland on

hillslopes

Deforested and drained hillslopes

To intercept rainfall and enhance soil

storage capacity, and

to reduce erosion

Planting on north-facing slopes, gullies and corries can enhance snow-pack

retention, desynchronising winter flood peaks

Floodplain ‘leaky

barriers’

Key floodplain zones (not

close to buildings or important

infrastructure)

To intercept overland flows

and enhance floodplain

storage potential for

both water and sediments

Living walls of woven willow spiles can be constructed to disrupt flow paths over

floodplains

Planting riparian buffer

zones, or water

margins

All watercourses, particularly

heavily modified

watercourses and those

within artificially

drained areas

To impede overland flow, enhance soil

storage capacity and

intercept mobilised debris and sediments

May require fencing and provision of alternative water sources for livestock

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PART II: OVERVIEW OF ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF RIVERS

Rivers are one of the most important types of European ecosystems, home to many species and habitats. They also provide vital ecological functions, besides their most obvious role as natural drainage channels (such as purifying water, and moderating floods and droughts).

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PART III: WFD AND HYDRO-MORPHOLOGICAL PRESSURES: POLICY PAPER. – FOCUS ON HYDROPOWER, NAVIGATION AND FLOOD DEFENCE ACTIVITIES. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BETTER POLICY INTEGRATION. BEST PRACTICES DOCUMENT ON HYDROMORPHOLOGY - FLOOD RELATED EXAMPLES

A. Examples of good practice from a policy docyment on Hydromorphology issued in 2006, revised in 2008. A Technical report and a Case studies document. give further information.

12. 'Space for river' in the Loire/Allier

In France, a very popular campaign to save the Loire and its tributaries from being regulated (1986-1993) laid the ground for a new river management approach. Academics worked out a new concept that the opponents to the river development plan then advocated for. The concept provided for more space for rivers in order for them to primarily maintain their functions. This allowed for integrating flood defence. This concept is named “Espace de Liberté” (“free space for rivers”) and was tested at the Loire and the Allier rivers in the framework of a new Management Programme for the river basin.

Starting in 1993, the Loire nature Programme co-funded by the EU (in the framework of a LIFE programme up to 1998) aimed at inter alia finding solutions to erosion-generated problems (incision). Along 200 km of its “free valley”, the Loire rate of bank erosion reaches 11 ha/year. The volume of sediment input yearly reaches around 385,000 m3. Along its 220 km “free valley”, the Allier River erodes nearly 35 ha/year (1,220,000 m3 of sediment per year). Collectively, it has been calculated that in the area of active meanders, the Loire River can lose 10,000 to 15,000 m3 of sediment from its banks/year/km of river, that is enough to equilibrate its transport capacity. Also in the active areas of the Allier River, the annual rate of lateral erosion reaches 5 to 15m. The sediment loading can be around 15,000 to 20,000 m3 of sediment/year/km.

The Loire and especially the Allier river dynamics are still very active. Throughout the Loire and Allier Rivers a series of activities were developed by regional Nature Trusts, Birdlife voluntary organisations and WWF to implement the free space for rivers. Ways through which local authorities, state institutions and NGOs developed together management instruments which were tested and their efficacy proven. One of these solutions proposed by the Loire Nature Programme to face erosion problems has been to facilitate land control while participating financially in land acquisition in eroded zones. Contracts were signed with private owners and farmers to acquire erodable land or manage it (through renting for example).

13. Room for the River in the Rhine Delta

Safety against extreme river floods

Due to anticipated climatic changes the Rhine delta river branches have to accommodate ever-higher extreme discharges. Until recently it was standard policy to raise the crest levels of the dikes to maintain the required level of flood protection. This centuries’ old policy was abandoned in 2000 in favour of ‘Room for the River’. In the new policy, river cross sections are widened by situating the dikes further away from the river, or by

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lowering the river forelands. This will result in lower flood levels. By the year 2015 the river should be able to safely discharge 16,000 m3/s.

Improvement of overall environmental conditions

In giving ‘Room for the River’ care should be taken not to affect valuable features of landscape, nature and cultural history. More space can also be found by enlarging the river channel within the dikes. In the process, one should aim at a balance between present and foreseeable future spatial requirements, keeping an open eye for every opportunity to enhance safety as well as the master landscaping and the improvement of overall environmental conditions. For more information, see: http://www.ruimtevoorderivier.nl/index.asp?p_id=420.

14. Making Space for Water in England

An integrated strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management.

In July 2004 an extensive consultation exercise was undertaken seeking views on a broad range of flood and coastal erosion risk management issues for England to inform development for a new strategy for the next 20 years and beyond. This consultation resulted in March 2005 in a new vision for flood management made of the following elements:

• The concept of sustainable development will be firmly rooted in all flood risk management decisions and operations taking full account of the social, environmental and economic pillars.

• Flood and coastal erosion risk management will be clearly embedded across a range of government policies including planning, urban and rural development, agriculture, transport and the natural and historic environment.

• There will be increased use of co-funding with other bodies and schemes to improve cost effective management and maximum benefits.

• Catchment Flood Management and Shoreline Management Plans will provide better local participation in decision making and a more holistic approach to assessment of options within a broader planning matrix including Integrated Coastal Zone Management and River Basin Management Plans.

• There will be transparent and measurable targets and performance indicators in terms of managing risks to people, property and the environment.

The results of the strategy will be seen in the form of more flood and coastal erosion solutions working with natural processes. This will be achieved by making more space for water in the environment, through for example appropriate use of managed re-alignment to widen river corridors and areas of inter-tidal habitat, and of multi-functional wetlands that provide wildlife and recreational resource.

The new strategic direction is currently being taken forward across government departments and agencies.

More information is available at the website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategy.htm.

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15. Flood plain restoration: Tisza

From September 2005–2007 the Hungarian Tisza River Floodplain will be conserved and restored through Integrated Floodplain Management.

The project is managed by the UNDP/Global Environment Facility and will mainstream biodiversity conservation within floodplain management across the Tisza River Floodplain. The project will significantly improve management of 1,600 km2 through activities within pilot areas, while moderately influencing an estimated area of 9,400 km2 (about 20% of the Great Hungarian Plain) applying supportive policy environment and institutional capacity building at the local level.

The project works on a local level with local initiatives providing support development of Action plans oriented to integrated and sustainable management of land, water, habitats and biodiversity, that support the socio-economic development.

For more information, see: http://europeandcis.undp.org/WaterWiki/index.php/Conservation_and_Restoration_of_the_Global_Significant_Biodiversity_of_the_Tisza_River_Floodplain_through_Integrated_Floodplain_Management

In addition, Hungary is planning to use farmland to hold up to a billion cubic meters of water to prevent flooding elsewhere. The Hungarian government will create a dozen reservoirs on farmland near the Tisza that will be allowed to flood during emergencies. Two will be operational by the end of 2006 and up to 12 by 2020.

16. Coastal Flood Plain Restoration – Freiston Shore, The Wash, England

This is an is example of a managed re-alignment scheme used where it is the best engineering option to reduce flood risk; it has the side effect of increasing biodiversity. The techniques demonstrated here are transferable to other situations requiring mitigation.

The work was to provide a 1:200 year level of defence to over 80,000ha of low lying fen land, many villages and the town of Boston. Before work started the flood banks were in varying states of repair and offered different levels of protection. A Flood Risk strategy was developed for the area after extensive monitoring and modelling of the site. 1.1km of existing secondary defences (banks) at the rear of the realignment site were raised and strengthened, and a 500m new defence built. Field drains were filled, the vegetation was removed and the field was ploughed and levelled, and new primary creeks were created using an excavator. Three breaches were made in the sea wall, each 50m wide, in order to open the site to tidal action. Material for the new defence was sourced from the next field and a lagoon was created as part of that process. The realignment site was purchased by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and opened as a reserve.

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Figure 1 – plan of works

This site is a functioning flood defence scheme. As it has now been turned into a nature reserve it has brought additional benefits. The investment in flood defence funding was matched by European 5B funding, which has paid for access and other improvements. The reserve and other nearby wildlife areas attracted 57,000 visitors in 2002/03. The presence of the reserve is estimated to have attracted around £150,000 into the local economy during 2003. This is estimated to support over four full-time equivalent jobs in local businesses.

The changes in elevation on the adjacent mudflats have caused unexpected damage to a local oyster farm and compensation payments have been made.

In many other areas this technique may be an effectively flood risk management solution, help ensure no deterioration and to increase ecological status.

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B. Case studies with driving force "flood protection":

These case studies are available from page 22 and onwards in the following document : Case studies, available on CIRCA.

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PART IV: BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES ON RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEMS FROM THE LIFE PROGRAM

Prevent flooding by grassland protection

A LIFE project in Belgium demonstrated the financial and environmental benefits of natural floodplains over the construction of dams in preventing flooding. LIFE funding enabled Natuurpunt, a Flemish NGO, to acquire land along the banks of the Dijle, in Leuven, and to remove obstacles to flooding, such as poplars and maize crops. Before the implementation of the project actions, flooding would regularly affect areas of Leuven, including the famous University campus. However, since the completion of the project, the city has not experienced flooding for several years. The dual conservation and flood management benefits of the project means that it has been a win-win situation. It has also proven to be a cheaper alternative to constructing a large dam near the city, even taking account of the cost of buying the land. More detailed information on:

LIFE98 NAT/B/005171 Dijlevallei http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=299

Restoring the Danube’s natural river dynamics

Large sections of the Danube and its major tributaries have been hemmed in by artificial riverbank stabilisation, cutting off side channels, depriving floodplain forests of floodwater and leading to a constant deepening of the main river bed, which in turn causes water tables under the floodplain to fall.

Removal of bank stabilisations gives the river the possibility to restore its normal dynamics of flooding, erosion and sedimentation and to gradually repair the damage to its habitats and the floodplain. Two large-scale LIFE projects (Donau-Auen and Donau-Ufer) along the Danube downstream from Vienna, paved the way.

Based on a concept to reconnect the various stagnant bodies of water in the floodplain with the main river, the LIFE-Nature project Donau-Auen worked out detailed technical plans and carried out the first such reconnections at Orth and Untere Lobau. These entailed lowering the river dyke at several points and changing weirs across the mouths of side channels so that more water will flow into these side channels and the floodplain forest and stagnant waters.

Clearly, this revitalised the floodplain ecosystem. Moreover, it also served the very practical purpose of protecting Vienna against floods. Instead of following conventional wisdom and strengthening the dykes, the river was given more room to sprawl. The dykes closest to the river were lowered so that the old floodplain itself becomes a retention basin, and floodwaters back up to dykes further inland.

Another action was the removal of all artificial elements strengthening the banks of a three kilometre pilot section along the left bank of the Danube opposite the town of Hainburg, so that erosion and accretion processes could generate a natural river bank

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structure. The effects of the action, involving the removal of more than 50,000 m3 of stones and boulders, have been impressive: the subsequent regeneration of the erosive river side bank process and inflow of water to the floodplain exceeded all expectations. This new river area and bank aided the flood water to disperse – they contributed to the flood protection of Hainburg and of the city of Bratislava in Slovakia.

The LIFE project had an important demonstration and learning effect. Before LIFE, the beneficiary had tested the method on small sections along the river, but the project gave the opportunity to realise large-scale revitalisation measures. They proved successful and now, after the project, all water engineering measures along the Austrian Danube must not only be checked for their nature impact, but must also be in line with the ambitious “Gesamtkonzept” (Comprehensive Concept) for the river Danube eastwards of Vienna.

According to this Concept, within the next decades half of the artificial riverbanks will be dismantled, the floodplain hydrology restored, and the shipping channel on the Danube simultaneously maintained.

The project manager of one of the LIFE projects explains that originally more than 90% of local people were afraid of, and therefore against, a more ambitious restoration project, because they feared the actions of opening the dykes would increase flood-risk. “But once they saw the results of the introduction of the measures they were asking for more”.

LIFE98 NAT/A/005422 Restoration and management of the alluvial flood plain of the River Danube http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=334

LIFE02 NAT/A/008518 Restoration of Danube river banks http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=1967

Establishing a European Centre for River Restoration

In recognition of the need to improve means of sharing knowledge and experience of river management, a LIFE project was set up to develop a European Centre for River Restoration. The centre established a Europe-wide network for the exchange of knowledge and best practice.

River restoration is widely accepted as an effective way of alleviating both water quality and flooding problems. Restoration initiatives are seen as being part of the means to satisfy the WFD requirements to achieve good status in all surface- and ground waters by 2015. While many projects have been undertaken in recent years in Europe, including those in Eastern Europe through the PHARE and TACIS programmes, the exchange of information and experiences between local authorities both on a national and an international level proved inadequate.

This LIFE project developed a European Centre for River Restoration to promote the restoration of rivers and riparian areas in Europe, to generate cost-efficient benefits for the protection of biodiversity, flood defence and water quality. Amongst its main objectives were

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• Encourage more river restoration and obtain greater biodiversity, and better water quality and flood management;

• Achieve greater benefits from river restoration projects and improve the cost-benefit ratio of river restoration works;

• Improve confidence in promoting and implementing river restoration; and improve European access to, and exchange of information from worldwide experience in river restoration.

• Bring about changes in policy and practice on river restoration to reflect the needs of the 21st Century including having river restoration accepted as an integral part of sustainable water management;

• Finding compatible solutions for flood defence and ecological restoration.

LIFE99 ENV/DK/000619 ECRR - European Centre for River Restoration http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=805

Integrated development and management of the Saône Valley

On the basis of the Saône Valley Management Plan – the first such plan to have been drawn up for a French river – this LIFE-Nature project aimed to solve the valley’s flood-related problems and restore its natural heritage in an integrated and sustainable way. The central idea of the management plan was that the prevention of floods, the protection of inhabited zones and business parks against major floods and the development of tourist, agricultural and economic activities must take into account the conservation of drinkable water resources and ecological heritage.

The project began in 1997 to implement the management plan, enabling the various steps to be planned and co-ordinated throughout the Saône Valley, as well as the setting- up of the long-term process to apply the agreed management and development measures. For the automation of the management of five Saône navigation dams, a mathematical algorithm was devised enabling the plotting of different water levels. This ensures better compatibility between navigational and agricultural interests during periods of minor flooding, and maintains flooding in sectors that will benefit from it environmentally. Several different sub-projects, aimed at the restoration of a meander in the High Saône, a marshland in the Rhone department and an irrigation canal, supplied information about the state of the current functioning of the flood land. Recommendations for restoration works and management decisions were developed in a floodland maintenance guide.

LIFE97 ENV/F/000194 Integrated development and management of the Saône Valley http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=1136

UK: wise use of floodplains – a trans-national partnership

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In the past, river management in Europe has drained floodplain wetlands and isolated rivers from their floodplains. Problems such as flooding, water shortages and over-enrichment of water have been made worse in some areas by this approach. Modern thinking is that rivers cannot be managed in isolation from their floodplains, and rivers and their floodplains cannot be managed without balancing the demands put upon them by agriculture, industry, nature conservation and other interests.

The WFD aims to solve these problems by introducing integrated river basin management and requires EU Member States to meet new ecologically based objectives on the quality of water. The sustainable management of floodplains, a crucial part of the water cycle, is fundamental in meeting these objectives. Member States face problems in implementing the Directive, partly because they lack experience of the practicalities of gaining the active participation of stakeholders in decision-making at a catchment scale in an operational, as opposed to a political, context.

The project included an international comparison of participative methods used in different types of catchment areas for the management of wetlands. Tools were tested, produced and disseminated. It was designed to help Member States implement the WFD by demonstrating the value of floodplains and how their associated wetlands can contribute to the sustainable management of water resources within river basins.

It showed that the environmental benefits of the scheme arose from its use in advocating the more sustainable use and restoration of floodplain habitats, which are of vital importance to wetland wildlife. The project’s recommendations for floodplain management have been fed into guidance notes to aid the implementation of the WFD, and have formed the basis of lobbying in a variety of related policy areas. Says the beneficiary: “The principles and lessons learnt have informed proposals by Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), in relation to flood-risk management, and the Environment Agency, in relation to River Basin Planning, to roll out public participation programmes across England.”

LIFE99 ENV/UK/000203 Wise use of floodplains – a demonstration of techniques to evaluate and plan floodplain restoration http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=1432

LIFE aids flood risk prevention in Bavaria

Householders, businesses and local authorities in Bavaria, Germany are all set to benefit from a new online flood hazard mapping service developed as part of the LIFE FLOODSCAN project. The service was launched in mid-September and updates an existing flood hazard mapping service in line with the requirements of the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC).

The FLOODSCAN project set out to improve awareness about flood risks using hydraulic 2-D modelling of flood hazard areas, a new, more detailed, more cost effective technology that combines laser scanning with remote sensing data.

The data generated by this process have been converted into printed flood hazard maps, as well as 'standard' and 'expert' level versions of the web mapping service. In the

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standard version, users can now see maps for different flood event frequencies (high “10-year”; medium “100-year”, and low probability “extreme” floods), which are highlighted in shades of blue, for ease of understanding. The maps also show the water depth of different flood events and areas in flood plains where building is prohibited.

Project manager Dr. Dieter Rieger of LfU (the Bavarian Agency for the Environment) is proud to highlight two particular benefits of LIFE FLOODSCAN: “Firstly, the population has more information available, so there is increased understanding of measures such as the banning of building in certain areas. Secondly, because FLOODSCAN is much cheaper and can map in more detail it can be much more extensive: it can include small water bodies, which can also cause flooding, but which were not previously mapped.”

LIFE06 ENV/D/000461 FLOODSCAN http://www.wzw.tum.de/floodscan/

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PART IV: REFERENCES AND KEY DOCUMENTS

Key legislation (http://water.europa.eu/policy and http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/index_en.htm ):

Floods Directive (FD) (2007/60/EC)

Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EC)

Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC)

Guidance documents and key reports:

WFD Common implementation Strategy (CIS) Guidance documents (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/facts_figures/guidance_docs_en.htm):

• N°8: Public Participation

• N° 12: The Role of Wetlands in the Water Framework Directive

• N° 20: Exemptions and environmental objectives

• N° 24: River Basin Management in a changing climate.

Policy document and best practices document on Hydromorphology, including a Technical report and Case studies document.

WG F Thematic workshop report Catchment Approach, Stirling, UK, 15-16-10.2009. (More links on Flood Risk Management: http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/directive_directive/cis_managementpdf_1/_EN_1.0_&a=d)

CBD Technical Series No. 47: Water, Wetlands and Forests – A Review of Ecological, Economic and Policy Linkages: http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-47-en.pdf

WWF/Equilibrium: Arguments for Protection – Natural Security. Protected areas and hazard mitigation (2008): http://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/pdf_neu/natural_security___protected_areas___hazard_mitigation.pdf

ALARM Atlas of Biodiversity Risks: http://www.alarmproject.net

LIFE and Europe's rivers: Protecting and improving our water resources: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/publications/lifepublications/lifefocus/documents/rivers.pdf

LIFE and Europe's wetlands: Restoring a vital ecosystem: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/publications/lifepublications/lifefocus/documents/wetlands.pdf

LIFE building up Europe's green infrastructure: Addressing connectivity and enhancing ecosystem functions:

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http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/publications/lifepublications/lifefocus/nat.htm#green

Green Infrastructure fact sheet: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pubs/docs/greeninfrastructure.pdf

COM(2010) 4: Options for an EU vision and target for biodiversity beyond 2010 on http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/policy/pdf/communication_2010_0004.pdf

EU Green Infrastructure website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/index_en.htm

EEA (2010): 10 messages for 2010 - Freshwater ecosystems: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/10-messages-for-2010-2014-1

EEA (2010): 10 messages for 2010 - Coastal ecosystems: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/10-messages-for-2010-coastal-ecosystems