Home Cartoon shows Creature Comforts-style entertainment shows the benefits of nature for Cumbrians

Creature Comforts-style entertainment shows the benefits of nature for Cumbrians

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Cumbria Wildlife Trust and partners have created four Creature Comforts-style animations to highlight how NFM can help protect Cumbria’s homes, businesses and farms.

Funded by the Environment Agency, the short films show how these techniques lessen flooding downstream, reduce the impact of drought on land and reduce pollutants in the water.

NFM is a catch-all term for a variety of landscaping techniques used to retain water during floods, reducing the downstream impact on buildings and infrastructure such as bridges.

Techniques include restoring peatlands so that they absorb water instead of flowing into rivers; re-meandering rivers to slow the rapid flow of water, which is more likely in straightened rivers; and protecting floodplains from development.

The four stop-motion animated films provide a unique opportunity to recreate the varied landscapes of Cumbria and meet several lovable characters who explain the different NFM techniques, bringing the subject matter to life.

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David Harpley, Head of Conservation for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “Cumbria Wildlife Trust is working with local landowners and farmers to make Cumbria’s landscape more resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis, such as floods and drought.

“Many of the techniques explained in the animations have been used in Cumbria. Restoration of the bogs at Tebay Common included the installation of letter dams to slow the flow of water, and leaky dams were installed over ‘a housing estate in Kendal to reduce the impact during a flood.’

The four characters are narrated by “local voices”, including David Kennedy and Michael Farrell from the Environment Agency, John Gorst from United Utilities and Abigail Kennedy, art and photography teacher from Cumbria.

The four characters are narrated by “local voices”, including David Kennedy and Michael Farrell from the Environment Agency, John Gorst from United Utilities and Abigail Kennedy, art and photography teacher from Cumbria.

Pete the Frog tells us about peatland restoration and the benefits it has. Russell the Border Collie explains how temporarily holding water on farmland can slow water flow to downstream communities to reduce flooding and reduce damage to agricultural infrastructure.

Brook the Otter explains how floodplains can play an important role in flood management by storing water for a short time to withstand pressure from communities. Fin the fish, gives the case of natural rivers.