Safeguarding Natural Areas Can Protect Cities From Flooding, Canadian Study Finds [Video]

All over the world, floods have been increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change.

A new study led by researchers at University of British Columbia (UBC) shows that protecting key ecosystems across Canada could reduce the risk of flooding in over half of urban areas in the country that are at high risk.

The study presents a global roadmap for the integration of nature-based solutions into flood management and urban planning, a press release from UBC said.

“This is the first national study to assess the role of Canadian ecosystems in flood prevention and to identify where conservation could have the greatest impact,” said Dr. Matthew Mitchell, an assistant professor of forestry and land and food systems at UBC, in the press release.

The research demonstrates that protecting the most essential five percent of watersheds, which equates to roughly two percent of Canada’s total land — 201,000 square kilometers — can greatly reduce the amount of rainwater runoff, protect croplands …