A workshop taking place at the Society on Wednesday 27 September has brought together academics, river managers, restoration practitioners and consultants for an in-depth discussion on large wood, fluvial geomorphology and river restoration.
Co-sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and the British Society for Geomorphology, delegates at the one-day workshop will examine wood as a component of river systems.
Trees and branches fall naturally into rivers with generally positive impacts on river flow variations, the creation of geomorphic features, and ultimately on ecological habitats. However, wood can also cause or exacerbate flood and infrastructure maintenance problems, meaning the role wood plays in the restoration and management of rivers needs attention.
The workshop aims to share the latest science and best practice to produce an informed overview of the benefits and risks of incorporating large wood into the restoration of rivers. The workshop will focus on both the long term geomorphic impact of wood in reinstating natural river processes and in the medium term, developing landforms for sustainable and cost-effective restoration.