WHAT IS RIVER RESTORATION - GRAIE
1
WHAT IS... Outlook for the future RIVER RESTORATION ■ No consensus exists on a definition, it changes over time and has multiple dimensions (scientific, technical, ethical, political and social). ■ The aim here is to review current definitions of river restoration as it is now practised in France and abroad. In scientific publications, the concept of restoration is: ■ not limited to an ideal past or to any positive values related to naturalness, ■ based on ecological references to the “structure” and “functions” of ecosystems, ■ increasingly mentioned with respect to hydromorphological processes (mainly after the mid 2000s), ■ seen as providing certain services to people or entire societies. A variety of words are used by researchers and managers for river restoration, for example: ■ restoration was seen by pioneer scientists as an ideal solution, a complete return to the river as it was prior to any degradation, whereas rehabilitation is now perceived as a more partial solution, ■ the distinction made by scientists between restoration and rehabilitation also corresponds to geographic factors, ■ restoration, rehabilitation and renaturation are not used uniformly by managers throughout France and their meanings differs from those used by scientists. Scientific definitions of restoration call on different types of references used to set objectives for work. These references have evolved over time. The concept of renaturation is specific to the RM Water agency. The RMC Water agency uses the concepts of restoration and rehabilitation. Breakdown of river-restoration projects with funding from the Loire-Bretagne, Rhin-Meuse and Rhône- Méditerranée-Corse Water agencies from 1997 to 2011. Defining the concept of river restoration Two of main river restoration conceptions: ■ hydraulic aspect and safety (as well as inheritage river usage and educational activities to raise public awareness), ■ ecological, hydromorphological and physical-chemical factors. These two conceptions co-existed in the projects carried out from 1997 to 2011. River restoration has gained importance in public policy: ■ we need to clearly identify the kinds of river to be restored. New environmental references should be based on different types of values: ■ the intrinsic value of biodiversity and environmental functions and the related benefits for society, as well as their safety, aesthetic, affective and economic aspects. River restoration is not the only way to manage rivers: ■ policy must be coordinated with the other river policies for efficiency and consistency. Success in river restoration is still an on-going issue: ■ it is important to receive feedback on measures, to benefit from varied opinions with comparisons between European countries, to adjust the work and to understand the driving forces. A comparison of ecological restoration projects in France and Germany from 1960 to 2009 revealed: ■ twice as many projects in Germany as in France, ■ morphological pressures as the main issue in both countries, ■ significant differences between the two countries in terms of restoration projects, for example projects concerning dead wood are very frequent in Germany, whereas in France a major issue is dam and weir removal to improve ecological continuity. Techniques of river restoration Current issues and strategies for river restoration Bertrand Morandi 1 , Hervé Piégay 1 , Anne Vivier 2 Morandi B., Piégay H., 2017. River restoration in France. Changes in definitions and techniques over space and time. Outlook for the future. Knowledge for action series. 28 p. http://www.onema.fr/sites/default/files/EN/EV/cat7a-thematic-issues.html#action m 1. Université de Lyon, UMR 5600 EVS – CNRS, ENS de Lyon ([email protected]) 2. Agence française pour la biodiversité ([email protected]) Publication: V. Barre, B. Gentil-Salasc / Graphic design : B. Saurel ([email protected]) Translation: Bartsch & Cie. ([email protected]) Past references Spatial references Natural references Ecosystem-service references Ecological references Annual percent of definitions Work in the river-bed (n = 233) Clearing jams and obstructions Removal of alluviation deposits Work within the river bed Planting within the river bed Sediment reloading Work on bank and river-bed morphology (n = 135) Bank morphology Bank protection Elimination of bank-protection systems Creation of watering installations, fences River-bed morphology River-bed stabilisation Work on erodable corridor (n = 44) Work on side channels Work on erodable corridor Work on dams and weirs (n = 45) Structure restoration Structure creation Structure removal Work on hydromorphological processes (n = 1) Work on riparian vegetation (n = 300) Work on vegetation Planting along the river Management of invasive species Landscaping, recreation, usage Total (n = 347) Average level of financial aid for projects per class and sub-class (constant euros, 2011) Percentage of projects receiving aid per class and sub-class Percentage of projects per country 60 80 40 0 Work on the floodplain Work on the planform Work on riparian areas Work on sediment quantity Work on hydrology Work on sediment quantity Work on habitats in the bed and along the banks France (n = 102) Germany (n = 270) 20 The types of work for the ecological restoration of rivers differ significantly between France and Germany.
Transcript of WHAT IS RIVER RESTORATION - GRAIE
WHAT IS...
Outlook for the futureRIVER RESTORATION
■ No consensus exists on a definition, it changes over time and has multiple
dimensions (scientific, technical, ethical, political and social).
■ The aim here is to review current definitions of river restoration as
it is now practised in France and abroad.
In scientific publications, the concept of restoration is:
■ not limited to an ideal past or to any positive values related to naturalness,
■ based on ecological references to the “structure” and“functions” of ecosystems,
■ increasingly mentioned with respect to hydromorphologicalprocesses (mainly after the mid 2000s),
■ seen as providing certain services to people or entire societies.
A variety of words are used by researchers and managers forriver restoration, for example:
■ restoration was seen by pioneer scientists as an ideal solution, a complete return to the river as it was prior to any degradation, whereas rehabilitation is now perceived as amore partial solution,
■ the distinction made by scientists between restoration and rehabilitation also corresponds to geographic factors,
■ restoration, rehabilitation and renaturation are not used uniformly by managers throughout France and their meaningsdiffers from those used by scientists.
Scientific definitions of restoration call
on different types of references used
to set objectives for work. These
references have evolved over time.
The concept of renaturation is
specific to the RM Water agency.
The RMC Water agency uses
the concepts of restoration and
rehabilitation.
Breakdown of river-restoration
projects with funding from
the Loire-Bretagne,
Rhin-Meuse and Rhône-
Méditerranée-Corse
Water agencies from 1997
to 2011.
Defining the concept of river restoration
Two of main river restoration conceptions:
■ hydraulic aspect and safety (as well as inheritage riverusage and educational activities to raise public awareness),
■ ecological, hydromorphological and physical-chemicalfactors.These two conceptions co-existed in the projects carriedout from 1997 to 2011.
River restoration has gained importance in public policy:
■ we need to clearly identify the kinds of river to be restored.
New environmental references should be based on differenttypes of values:
■ the intrinsic value of biodiversity and environmental functionsand the related benefits for society, as well as their safety, aesthetic, affective and economic aspects.
River restoration is not the only way to manage rivers:
■ policy must be coordinated with the other river policies for efficiency and consistency.
Success in river restoration is still an on-going issue:
■ it is important to receive feedback on measures, to benefit fromvaried opinions with comparisons between European countries,to adjust the work and to understand the driving forces.
A comparison of ecological restoration projects in France and Germany from 1960 to 2009 revealed:
■ twice as many projects in Germany as in France,
■ morphological pressures as the main issue in both countries,
■ significant differences between the two countries in terms of restoration projects, for example projects concerning dead woodare very frequent in Germany, whereas in France a major issueis dam and weir removal to improve ecological continuity.
Techniques of river restoration
Current issues and strategies for river restoration
Bertrand Morandi1, Hervé Piégay1, Anne Vivier2
Morandi B., Piégay H., 2017. River restoration in France. Changes in definitions and techniquesover space and time. Outlook for the future. Knowledge for action series. 28 p.http://www.onema.fr/sites/default/files/EN/EV/cat7a-thematic-issues.html#action m
1. Université de Lyon, UMR 5600 EVS – CNRS, ENS de Lyon ([email protected])
2. Agence française pour la biodiversité ([email protected])
Publication: V. Barre, B. Gentil-Salasc / Graphic design : B. Saurel ([email protected])
Translation: Bartsch & Cie. ([email protected])
Past references
Spatial references
Natural references
Ecosystem-service references
Ecological references
Annual percent of definitions
Work in the river-bed (n = 233)Clearing jams and obstructionsRemoval of alluviation deposits
Work within the river bedPlanting within the river bed
Sediment reloadingWork on bank and river-bed morphology (n = 135)
Bank morphologyBank protection
Elimination of bank-protection systemsCreation of watering installations, fences
River-bed morphologyRiver-bed stabilisation
Work on erodable corridor (n = 44)Work on side channels
Work on erodable corridorWork on dams and weirs (n = 45)
Structure restorationStructure creationStructure removal
Work on hydromorphological processes (n = 1)Work on riparian vegetation (n = 300)
Work on vegetationPlanting along the river
Management of invasive speciesLandscaping, recreation, usage
Total (n = 347)
Average level of financial aid for projects per class and sub-class (constant euros, 2011)
Percentage of projects receiving aid per class and sub-class
Percentage of projects per country
60
80
40
0
Work on the floodplain
Work on the planform
Work on riparian areas
Work on sediment quantity
Work on hydrology
Work on sediment quantity
Work on habitats in thebed and along the banks
France (n = 102)
Germany (n = 270)
20
The types of work for
the ecological restoration of
rivers differ significantly
between France and
Germany.
