El Niño warning: How the West Midlands is preparing for a more extreme climate

As extreme weather becomes an increasing challenge, nature recovery projects across Staffordshire and the wider West Midlands are helping landscapes, wildlife and communities become more resilient to drought, flooding and heat.

The prospect of more unsettled weather linked to a developing El Niño event is putting renewed focus on how communities can prepare for a changing climate.

While El Niño cannot be used to predict exactly what weather Shropshire, Staffordshire or the wider West Midlands will experience, it is another reminder of the need to build resilience into the landscapes around us.

Read more: Will ‘supersized’ El Niño hit Shropshire and the West Midlands?

Across Staffordshire, work is already underway to restore wetlands, reconnect habitats and bring natural processes back into the landscape.

At Doxey Marshes Nature Reserve in Stafford, one of the county's most important wetland sites, restoration is helping to improve the natural function of the floodplain while creating better conditions for wildlife.

Projects in Stoke-on-Trent are also restoring habitats and creating opportunities for people to reconnect with nature, while helping urban landscapes cope with changing weather conditions.

Wetlands are particularly important in a changing climate. They can hold water during periods of heavy rainfall, helping to slow its movement through the landscape, while retaining moisture that can support habitats and wildlife during drier periods.

The benefits extend beyond individual nature reserves.

By restoring and connecting wetlands, rivers, grasslands and woodlands, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is helping to develop a Nature Recovery Network across the county. Connected landscapes give species more space to move and adapt as environmental conditions change, while also creating healthier landscapes for people.

This approach is particularly important across the wider West Midlands, where towns and cities, farmland and natural habitats are closely interconnected.

Dave Cadman, head of nature recovery networks at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: "When we restore wetlands, we're not just helping wildlife. We're creating landscapes that are better able to cope with the challenges of a changing climate.

"Healthy wetlands act like natural sponges, holding water in the landscape for longer during dry periods while helping to slow and store water during heavy rainfall.

"Through our work in Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, we're restoring natural processes and creating bigger, better and more connected habitats. This work forms part of a wider Nature Recovery Network, linking habitats across the landscape so wildlife can move, adapt and thrive, while building resilience for communities too."

The Trust says action is not limited to large nature reserves. Creating wildlife-friendly spaces, restoring habitats and supporting nature recovery in towns and cities can all contribute to a more resilient landscape.

For communities across Staffordshire and the West Midlands, the message is that preparing for a changing climate is not simply about responding when extreme weather arrives.

It is also about making practical changes now that allow nature to do more of the work — slowing water, storing carbon, supporting biodiversity and creating greener places for people.

"The good news is there are solutions, and we see lots of incredible steps being taken by people across Staffordshire who want to be part of them," Dave added.

"You can help by being informed and asking your local councillors and MPs about what they are doing for nature."

The Trust is also encouraging people to learn more about the challenges facing nature and the practical action communities can take by attending a People's Emergency Briefing (PEB) screening. The events bring together local communities to hear leading voices on nature, climate and environmental action.

To find out more about Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's work to restore nature and build a more resilient landscape, visit staffs-wildlife.org.uk/trent-renew.

To find your nearest People's Emergency Briefing screening, visit nebriefing.org/screening-map.