Flooding and media storms - controversies over farming and upland land-use in the UK

This viewpoint considers the impacts of media coverage of last winter's flooding upon the farming community and the implications for their role as key partners in the delivery of landscape changes necessary to address flooding. The paper focuses on the experiences of the Pontbren farmers in Mid Wales, whose land is the site of a much-referenced study on the benefits of tree planting to address flood risk. It is argued that media sensationalism, and in many instances conflation of the science around this issue, has served to undermine good-will and engagement from farmers. Consequently, this viewpoint emphasises the importance of highlighting synergies as starting points for dialogue; as is the case when negotiating all forms of landscape multifunctionality.