Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - 12:00 to 13:00
Climate change has elevated the risk of extreme weather the world over. In British Columbia, a natural flood risk mitigator lies all around us in the water-absorbing power of trees. In fact, research has shown that even a modest loss of forest cover due to wildfire, logging and disease can cause surprisingly large increases in the frequency of extreme floods. Will dykes, dams and levees be enough to protect against property loss and devastation from floods in the future? How can nature-based solutions, such as forests, and the restoration of natural floodplains and wetlands contribute to flood mitigation? What considerations need to be taken as BC develops its flood risk management strategy?