The role of riparian trees in maintaining riverbank stability: A review of Australian experience and practice

Abstract

Riverside vegetation is a significant factor influencing the occurrence and progress of streambed and riverbank erosion. Recent riparian management practice in Australia has focussed on re-establishing or maintaining native riparian vegetation in order to control or prevent erosion as well as regenerate or preserve the complex variety of in-stream and riverside habitats. This work presents an integrated review of field and experimental studies conducted in eastern Australia that evaluate native vegetation's role in mass failure of riverbanks. Several results of these studies have general application and include the following: (1) The presence of riparian forest on riverbanks significantly re..