Well-adapted land system

• Uptake of resilient soil and water management practices: soils in good condition are more able to buffer against drought and are less susceptible to erosion from heavy rainfall. Actions to improve the resilience of soils include reduced tillage and using cover crops. Water management such as on-farm water storage reservoirs and rainwater harvesting can increase resilience in dry periods or drought.
• Change type or timing of farm practices: farm planning needs to be responsive to the weather and longer-term changes in climate. This may include changing the timing or location of farm activities such as harvesting, moving livestock, or moving current agricultural production to more climatically suitable areas. Climate will require a shift to growing different crops to better suit a future climate in some parts of the UK.
• Technology and precision farming: there is a role for technology to increase farm resilience, especially in housed farming systems. Precision farming can result in more efficient water and nutrient use and can boost crop yields. Genetic selection of crops or livestock which are more suitable for a future climate, such as drought or heat resistant crop varietals can reduce risk and improve yields under climate.
• Increase on-farm biodiversity to support nature to adapt: natural and semi-natural habitats such as hedgerows, field margins, and planting trees on farmland can increase the size, connectivity, and diversity of farmland habitats. These habitats can also enhance farming systems. For example, through supporting pollination, pest control, water filtration, providing shade or shelter, and reducing soil erosion.

These adaptation actions are connected with adaptation in the water and wastewater system, and in the food security system.

• Rewet blanket bog and peatlands: blocking drainage to keep water tables high in upland bog and peatlands will help protect these habitats from climate risks such as high temperatures and drought.
• Minimise soil erosion: heavy rainfall can cause erosion of soil, especially on bare slopes. As well as loss of soil, erosion can pollute watercourses and damage freshwater habitats. Actions can be taken to reduce this risk such as re-vegetation of bare soil.
• Assisted movement of species: upland species are particularly vulnerable to climate change as cool-adapted species will eventually run out of space to shift their range north and uphill as the climate warms. Manually moving species to different locations where they could thrive in the future can tackle this risk.

These adaptation actions are connected with adaptation in the water and wastewater system, and in the built environment and communities system.

• Species and site selection for future climate: tree species selection needs to be based on future climate conditions. Actions include consideration of species or seed provenance to better suit future conditions in different parts of the UK, for example, drought or disease resistance or heat tolerant species.
• Natural regeneration of woodland: allowing woodlands to expand naturally from local seed sources can help species adjust to local climate conditions. Such natural regeneration can be more resilient to wind and drought risk through the trees having deeper roots than planted trees, and through creating greater genetic diversity.
• Resilient woodland practices: woodland and forestry management practices can be adjusted to respond to weather and climate. For example, changing rotation or practices to reduce losses of planted trees during drought or storms, or woodland design and management to reduce the spread of wildfire.

• Catchment-scale management of water levels for freshwater habitats: freshwater habitats are dependent on good water quality and natural flow. Holistic management of water across a catchment is needed to tackle pressures from too much or too little water. This could include using wetlands, peat, or soil management to keep water in the catchment and recharge groundwater.
• Riparian shading to reduce water temperatures: shading riverbanks by planting trees can reduce river water temperatures by 2°C-3°C, providing climate refugia for species as water temperatures rise. Riparian planting and wetland vegetation also has the benefit of reducing erosion and pollution entering freshwater.

These adaptation actions are connected with adaptation in the water and wastewater system.

• Create new coastal habitats: new coastal habitats are needed to offset habitat that is lost through coastal squeeze – where habitats such as saltmarshes are prevented from moving inland as sea level rises due to hard structures such as coastal flood defences or buildings.

These adaptation actions are connected with adaptation in the sea system.

• Increase diversity and connectivity: greater diversity of habitats and commercial activities on land at a genetic, species, site, and landscape scale will increase resilience through spreading risk and climate-driven losses. Increasing habitat connectivity through creating wildlife corridors or ‘stepping stones’ to join up habitats will support species to move and adjust their range as the climate changes and will help maintain species diversity.
• Manage INNS, pests, pathogens and diseases: biosecurity measures, such as cleaning equipment and responsible sourcing of plant and tree stocks from pest and disease-free areas, can reduce the introduction and spread of invasive non-native species (INNS). A greater diversity of species and habitats can reduce the spread of INNS, pests, pathogens and disease through a landscape. Monitoring and contingency planning are essential for understanding and tracking outbreaks of harmful INNS, pests, pathogens or diseases.
• Wildfire management: wildfires can be managed or contained through management of fuel loads, fire breaks, rewetting of peat or creation of ponds. Early warning systems and education can help prevent wildfires or their spread. For example, fire contingency plans, wildfire risk mapping, and danger rating systems. Wildfire management needs to be built into other land management actions such as woodland planting or habitat creation.