Working with nature: New report highlights the importance of healthy coastal habitats in reducing flood risk

Natural coastal habitats - such as sand dunes, shingle and saltmarsh - provide millions of pounds worth of flood risk benefits to communities in Wales, according to a new study.

Undertaken by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), marine consultants ABPmer and economic consultant eftec, the Wales-wide study has looked at different types of coastal habitat and examined the role they play in mitigating flood risk.

It looked at the characteristics of the different habitats and their effectiveness in buffering wave energy, reducing wave height and reducing tidal flooding.

The study estimates that these habitats could provide £36m of flood risk benefits annually – calculated by taking into account avoided damage to properties, agricultural land and infrastructure such as road and rail.

Some of the key areas where habitats have been identified as having the potential to provide an economically important flood risk benefit include Port Talbot, Newport, Neath, Swansea, Carmarthen Bay, and along the north coast of Wales.

However, for coastal habitats to reach their full potential in reducing flood impacts and sustaining a healthy ecosystem, they need to be in good condition. The recently published State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR), identifies that many coastal margin habitats are in poor condition - affected by habitat loss and fragmentation - and the pressures of climate change and sea level rise will cause further damage.

It’s estimated that around 30 per cent of Wales's original sand dune area has been lost since 1900, and up to a quarter of saltmarsh in Welsh marine protected areas could disappear by 2155.

Nicola Rimington, Lead Advisor on Marine and Coastal Physical Processes at NRW said:

“Many communities benefit from hard‑engineered coastal defences, but face the very real prospect of flood risk increasing significantly in the decades ahead.

“As we face the growing challenges of climate change, we need to broaden our approach—working with nature to build greater long‑term resilience.

“This report highlights the essential role our coastal habitats play in protecting communities and reinforces why restoring and safeguarding them must be a priority. Our next step is to identify specific locations where habitat restoration and wider nature‑based solutions can make the greatest difference to reducing flood risk and strengthening the resilience of coastal areas.”

Kathryn Robbins, Principal Environmental Consultant at ABPmer said:

“Coastal habitats in Wales have experienced declines in extent and condition over the last few decades.

“This national-scale study provides an initial insight into the significant level of protection and economic benefit these habitats provide towards protecting communities from coastal flooding.

“The report highlights the importance of protecting and restoring coastal habitats and supports the greater use of nature‑based solutions in managing flood risk and coastal change.”

A full copy of the report is available on the Natural Resources Wales website.

It follows NRW’s recent condition assessments of Wales’s network of Marine Protected Areas, which highlighted the need for urgent action to protect habitat, biodiversity and water quality.

This work provides evidence to determine the current condition of marine habitats and highlights priority areas where marine environments should be managed sustainably.