Riparian woodlands

These are the tree or shrub-dominated areas that occur along the banks of rivers or streams.

They are usually linear in shape, with a breadth up to 25 or 30 m. If the woody vegetation extends over a much broader area of flooded land, one usually speaks instead of “Alluvial forest” or “Flooded forest”.

Riparian woodlands have many essential functions:

• Water purification : their roots, as well as the associated fungi and bacteria, suck up a number of pollutants ;
• Protection of river banks against erosion, thanks to the tree roots and the lower vegetation ;
• Biological corridors, that provide food and shelter for a large number of insects, birds, mammals, fish…
• Hydrological role, by slowing down the progression of floods.

The large riparian woodlands that used to line the lower course of most large Mediterranean rivers have almost entirely disappeared due to deforestation and drainage.