Learning about flood mitigation in schools

The project sought to inspire a new generation of water-conscious individuals who understand the impact of flooding and the importance of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) - interventions that encourage natural drainage by copying water systems such as wetlands and ponds to slow down water flow and mitigate flood risk.  

Each school participated in two workshops designed to explore how surface water flooding affects their school environment and to introduce nature-based solutions that could mitigate these effects. These workshops included: 

• School Ground Assessments: Students surveyed their playgrounds, identifying the percentage of green space and areas of permeable and impermeable surfaces. They noted locations prone to large puddles and overflowing drains during heavy rainfall.  
• Tree Mapping and Species Identification: Pupils assessed existing tree species and learned about additional trees that could be planted to support flood mitigation. 
• Designing SuDS Playgrounds: Using their newfound knowledge, students designed their own SuDS playground models, incorporating nature-inspired drainage solutions. 

Increasing awareness in key areas

Baseline and endline surveys conducted in a sample of two to three schools demonstrated the effectiveness of these workshops. The results highlighted significant growth in pupil awareness across several key areas: 

1. Increased awareness of personal water conservation: Pupils gained a stronger understanding of simple actions to reduce water use and prevent wastage such as having quick showers or only switching on a washing machine/ dishwasher if there’s a full load. 
2. Enhanced understanding of water management in gardens: A notable increase was observed in knowledge about garden water conservation, particularly around reducing hose usage, a technique which only emerged after the workshops. 
3. Greater recognition of different types of flooding: Pupils became familiar with various forms of flooding beyond surface water accumulation, such as sea flooding and river flooding. 
4. Improved awareness of flood causes and consequences: There was an increase in understanding of the factors contributing to surface water flooding such as climate change and a lack of green spaces alongside the consequences of flooding. 
5. Growing knowledge of SuDS solutions: While awareness of SuDS improved somewhat, the findings indicated room for further development in this area to solidify understanding of how these systems can aid in flood mitigation. 
6. Increased pupil awareness of changes in weather patterns linked to climate change: Whilst awareness levels were already high, there was still an increase in students demonstrating a stronger understanding of how climate change is influencing weather patterns. 

A solid basis for deeper learning  

By involving pupils in mapping, surveying, and designing solutions, the Trees for Cities workshops in Cardiff engaged students in meaningful discussions and practical learning experiences about sustainable water management, resulting in improved learning against the projects aims. While the results show promising improvements in knowledge and awareness, future initiatives could focus on deepening students’ understanding of SuDS and their long-term benefits in flood mitigation. 

Made possible by partners 

Many thanks to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for part-funding these workshops, which is part of a SuDS feasibility study aiming to make SuDS in schools a reality. NRWs’ flood risk map helped determine in which schools to carry out the study, as those identified have a medium or high flood risk.  

Schools included in the project are Bryn Celyn/Pen-y-Groes, St Illtyd’s Catholic High School, Pen-Y-Bryn Primary School, St Cadoc’s Primary School, and Glyncoed Primary School.