PGIS demonstrates the importance of place-based expertise when exploring tree planting for Natural Flood Managemen

Tree planting for Natural Flood Management (NFM) is prominent in UK policy strategy and guidance, despite a lack of empirical evidence (Lane, 2017). Furthermore its implementation is recognised as a ‘wicked’ environmental challenge (Dadson et al., 2017) where solutions are complex and require new approaches (Functowicz & Ravetz, 1993). Yet Natural Flood Management approaches have remained traditional technocratic (Wingfield et al., 2021) despite work demonstrating the neglect of lay or place-based expertise and the impact this has on science and policy has a well-evidenced literature (e.g. Wynne, 2016). In responding to tackling these challenges this research used Participatory GIS as a key tool in understanding the importance of place-based knowledge and how this may impact and inform the prospect of increasing tree cover for NFM.