20 Benefits of Riparian Tree Planting
This year, National Tree Week coincides with the 20th Anniversary of The Rivers Trust and what better way to celebrate than by highlighting 20 of the amazing benefits Riparian tree planting can have for our rivers.
25/11/24
Blog
This year, National Tree Week coincides with the 20th Anniversary of The Rivers Trust and what better way to celebrate than by highlighting 20 of the amazing benefits Riparian tree planting can have for our rivers.
1. Slow the flow – a natural flood management method, trees planted along rivers absorb extra water to mitigate flooding.
2. Intercept heavy rainfall – reducing the speed at which surface runoff reaches rivers.
3, Increase soil infiltration – tree roots increase soil porosity and health, improving infiltration and reducing runoff.
4. Reduce soil and bank erosion – fine tree roots bind loose soil, helping to stabilise riverbanks.
5. Mitigate against road and agricultural runoff – acting as a natural filter to reduce sediment and nutrients from entering rivers.
6. Provide shade to keep water cool – tree canopies prevent too much sun from reaching rivers, which cools and oxygenates water.
7. Increase biodiversity – during a time in which we are experiencing a biodiversity crisis, riparian planting helps create structurally complex habitats along rivers.
8. Provide habitats for wildlife – wooded areas are vital habitats for native wildlife both in and around rivers.
9. Protect native fish stocks – riparian planting help form undercuts and holes in riverbanks that provide ideal habitats for fish.
10. Improve habitat quality for invertebrates – riparian woodlands are ideal habitats for invertebrates.
11. Connect fragmented habitats – helping to connect habitats along riverbanks and provide safe corridors for wildlife to navigate.
12. Provide shelter for crops – tree canopies provide shade from the sun during warmer periods.
13. Lock up carbon - trees are the ultimate nature-based solution, locking up carbon through photosynthesis, reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to effectively tackle global warming.
14. Reduce weed & algae growth – shading from trees protects rivers from too much sunlight and a boom in both weed and algae growth during summer.
15. A food source for pollinators – riparian planting provides pollinators with a vital food source.
16. Makes more rivers swimmable – by working to clean water, riparian planting is helping make our rivers safer to swim in.
17. Visually appealing – for local communities to appreciate our natural environment
18. Leaf litter is another food source – falling into rivers forms the foundation of our river's food chain.
19. Woody debris adds value to aquatic habitats – slowing the flow, making still pools of water for spawning fish and providing shelter for invertebrates.
20 Felled trees reduce flooding – by turning them into leaky dams to further slow the flow of water to mitigate against flooding downstream.
Support our work
We’re proud to have fought for wild, healthy, and natural rivers for 20 years. We are the trusted catchment experts and as our team, expertise, and experience continue to grow, we’re focused on the next 20.
You can help us achieve our goals and support our work by donating any amount, large or small. Between the 3rd-10th December 2024, your donations will go twice as far; funds we raise through The Big Give are match-funded, allowing us to have double the impact.
Please consider supporting The Rivers Trust – thank you.
