With such extreme flooding around the country in recent weeks, it's a pleasant change from all the doom and gloom to hear of one flood management system that is working effectively.

A new natural flood management scheme was only installed in Tudeley Woods between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells in January, just ahead of the bad weather, but it has functioned well throughout the extreme weather conditions caused by Storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge, according to the South East Rivers Trust (SERT).

Just a few weeks after the completion of 50 “leaky dams” on the Alder Stream catchment, located within a 900-acre RSPB woodland reserve owned by the Hadlow Estate, the scheme was put to the test with heavy rainfall, amounting to a peak of 28mm in just one hour, recorded at Paddock Wood.

Although some homes in Five Oak Green and Capel were flooded after torrential rain on February 9, the cause was hillside run-off, rather than flooding from the Alder Stream.

Dean Morrison, SERT’s natural flood management project officer, said: "Properties in Five Oak Green were flooded as well as a row of properties including the Dovecote pub at Alders Road, Capel.

"While these cottages missed flooding from the Alder Stream, they were hit by water flowing off the hillsides and into the ditch network behind the village.

“While it’s too early to claim that the number of leaky woody structures we’ve put in have had a significant impact yet, we checked on them during the storms and they’re functioning as they’re designed to."

The streams in Tudeley Woods have been blocked by a set of 50 intricately constructed dams, which were built over the last winter.

“The project aims to add fallen timber to the streams to slow the flow of water,” said Harry Teacher, whose family has owned the 900-acre Tudeley Woods for 170 years.

They form part of the 4,000-acre Hadlow Estate.

He said: “It will even out the flow of water and the aim is to prevent flooding further downstream.”

The South East Rivers Trust is an environmental charity bringing rivers back to life across the South East of England.

Mr Morrison said: “What we have found is that, in heavy rain, water rushes down from the headwaters and rapidly increases the flow in rivers downstream.

"Within a short period of time, this huge increase in water volume can pose a serious flood threat to property and people.”

To this end, the steep-sided streams in Tudeley Woods – or ghylls, as they are known locally – now have logs jammed across them. Over time, these will catch sticks and leaves to become what are known in the conservation world as “leaky wooden structures.”

The project was part-funded by the Environment Agency as part of the Medway Flood Action Plan.

The streams in Tudeley Woods stem from natural springs within the woods and feed into the Alder Stream, a tributary of the River Medway with a history of flooding.

The project aims to help protect more than 50 residential properties at risk from flooding from the Alder Stream in the village of Five Oak Green.

The benefits of the project will also be felt within the woods themselves, said Mr Teacher's wife Kate, who has been working on the scheme for some time.

“The idea of using our upland woodland for natural flood management has been under consideration for a couple of years.

"We first commissioned a survey of the woods, including the streams and a large central pond, to see exactly what was happening.

"We discovered that despite the wet winters, the warmer summers have meant that the woods are drying out year-on-year, which can have serious consequences for biodiversity.

She said: "Tudeley Woods are a remnant of ancient woodland that once covered most of South East England. The woods are home to nearly 1,200 varieties of fungi as well as rare birds and plants. There’s the nationally rare Marsh Valerian flower as well as many butterflies and orchids.

"And in terms of birds you’ll see tree pipits, nightjars, woodlarks and Britain’s most rare woodpecker, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.”

The retention of water in the woods, preventing it from rushing away downstream, is very important for preserving habitats, said Mr Teacher. “We are using natural methods to increase resilience to climate change. Leaky dams are an effective way of preventing flooding further downstream but we are also working to prevent the woods from drying out, preserving the biodiversity of the flora and fauna here. It’s a win-win situation.”

Much of the timber used for the dams had fallen naturally within the woods, with other logs being felled as part of routine tree management.

Until now, the image of flood prevention has been one of expensive engineering work, pumps and interventions near the site of a flood risk.

But it seems that fallen trees, sticks and leaves can also make a contribution to protecting property.

Mr Teacher said: "Our scheme could have implications for woodland management nationally."

The project will be closely monitored over the coming years to ensure its success.

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