Tony Juniper quite rightly flagged up the need for more nature-based solutions to help prevent future droughts (Britain’s wetlands are the key to saving us from drought, wildfires and even floods, 12 August). The Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust acts as an advocate for one such potential solution. By linking the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes with the River Great Ouse in Bedford, the proposed new waterway park could have the potential to take water out of the system in times of flood and transfer it to the east of England in times of drought. It would bring many more benefits, such as increases in biodiversity, new accessible parkland, a new navigable route and opportunities for cycling and walking.
Climate change needs solutions that are cross-cutting, innovative and transformational. For too long, the need for significant investment in nature-based green and blue infrastructure has been ignored. Investing in projects such as the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Park would be a start.
Jane Hamilton
Chair, Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.
