The goal of the study is to try understand what aspects of our environment in the Humberhead Levels are most vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of climate change, and thereafter to work out how to respond to the challenges this throws up.

Below are a series of partially completed templates. Each template covers a different aspect of the Levels’ environment, each begins to identify the environmental assets of the area and their possible vulnerabilities.

At the head of each template are four questions to which we would like your response, please feel free to respond (by annotating the templates) to as many as time/interests permits, and if appropriate please pass on to any colleagues, or networks of which you are a part.

When considering the templates you might find these additional points helpful:

• Natural England does not necessarily think that what is currently set out in the templates is ‘the right answer’, it is very much a ‘starter for ten’. If you think something is simply wrong please tell us.
• ‘Direct’ effects are those which come about as a direct consequence of, for instance, ‘wetter winters’ or ‘hotter summers’, whereas ‘Indirect’ effects imply a chain of events (e.g. hotter summers lead to new crops which in turn lead to consequences for biodiversity).
• Ecosystem Services is a term some may be unfamiliar with. In a nutshell ‘ecosystem services’ are those benefits we derive from the natural environment, examples include pollination of crops, water supply or recreation.

We would appreciate a response by 20 November, and once we have had time to consider your responses we will hold a couple of workshops to investigate how proposed responses might cut across or support each other, and what priorities might be etc.

The dates for these workshops will be sent out during this consultation period.

Finally, Natural England are working with the Environment Agency on their flood risk management strategy for the Isle of Axholme. Information gathered for the Humberhead Levels Climate Change study could form a really useful input to the flood risk work, especially where this relates to land use and environmental assets. If you are happy for us so to do, I would like to share your responses with EA’s Isle of Axholme Strategy team (if not please indicate when you respond). Their main baseline studies on the flood defences and economic assets are largely complete but the environmental studies which will support the development of options are just beginning.