Residents joining forces to bring greener, flood‑friendly ideas to Oswestry
A car park area is to feature a rain garden through the Oswestry De-pave project
People can learn more about the work of the Shropshire Council-managed Oswestry Depave demonstrator project at this year’s Green Day event in the town centre.
The project, which is part of the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme, is teaming up with its newly formed community group Grow With The Flow to showcase simple, practical ways to make the town greener and more resilient to heavy rainfall.
The Green Day event will bring together local residents, families and community organisations to explore how small changes like removing unused hard surfaces and replacing them with planting can help manage rainwater more naturally while improving local spaces for people and wildlife.
Visitors to the Grow With The Flow stall will be able to see examples of how depaving works in practice, speak to project partners, and find out how they might apply similar ideas at home or in their communities and how residents can play a direct role in shaping local spaces, from rain gardens and tree planting to community-led greening projects.
Jenna Shaw, from Shropshire Wildlife Trust who is leading the De-pave demonstrator project, said:-
“What we’re showing is that tackling surface water and improving our environment doesn’t have to be complicated. Small, local actions like removing unused paving and planting something in its place can make a real difference when lots of people get involved.”
Grow With The Flow, formed by the De-pave project with local volunteers, is focused on helping communities work with nature, encouraging solutions that slow the flow of water, support wildlife and bring people together.
Jenna added:-
“There’s a real appetite locally to do something positive for the environment. By working together, we can create spaces that are not only greener, but better prepared for the kinds of weather we’re seeing more often.”
As well as attending the Green Day event on June 13, Jenna will be at Oswestry Library between 10am and 1pm on June 10 and June 24 to promote the work of the De-pave project and encourage local people to get involved.
The Oswestry De-pave project is one of the SVWMS’s eight demonstrator projects to have received funding and will test approaches that aim to reduce flood risk within the upper River Severn catchment area.
About the SVWMS: The SVWMS is a cross-border initiative led by the Environment Agency, in partnership with Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council, and Shropshire Council, and funded by Defra. Its aim is to develop a holistic water management strategy for the upper Severn, which could serve as a model for similar projects nationwide.
To learn more about the SVWMS visit: Have Your Say Today – Severn Valley Water Management Scheme – Commonplace
