Slow The Flow is an educational charity whose aim is to demonstrate the effectiveness of community action in using Natural Flood Management (NFM) to mitigate the effects of flooding.
For the past two years Slow The Flow, alongside Calderdale Council and the Environment Agency have sponsored an MRes studentship at the University of Leeds to analysis the flood reduction capabilities of our community Natural Flood Management work. The results of this work are impressive and help to confirm the benefits of using natural flood management. Full results of this work will be published soon on our website (subscribe to get notified).
Now, via a partnership with the University of Huddersfield, we are looking to recruit a second MRes student to investigate a different area of work: The effect of natural flood management (NFM) structures on aquatic macroinvertebrates and terrestrial plant diversity. This is an exciting opportunity for an undergraduate to continue their studies in a fully funded and supported programme looking at a vitally important area of work. The details can be found in the documents below.
Since starting its pioneering work in 2016, building natural flood management into the environment of the upper Calder catchment to reduce the impact of flooding on communities, Slow The Flow has consistently taken an evidenced based approach to its work. Over one thousand volunteers have worked tirelessly to install 619 leaky woody debris dams, 890 metres of contour placed logs, 1200 metres of gullies stuffed with brash, and 8 large attenuation basins on the National Trust estate at Hardcastle Crags above Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.
We know instinctively our work has made a difference and has reduced the impact of flooding to the communities along the Calder Valley; however, we need to prove this, and the additional benefits of NFM, such as water quality, in order to encourage further funding and implementation of NFM. Academic studies are critically important to our work, we are delighted that this opportunity has presented itself.
For further information or an informal discussion on this project, please contact Dr Tory Milner (Director of Studies) via email at v.milner@hud.ac.uk
To apply for the position, please see https://research.hud.ac.uk/research-degrees/how-to-apply/?rpid=00007934_2717
Completed application forms should be submitted by 11:59pm on Thursday 31st March 2022. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend an interview the w/c 25th April 2022.