The Importance of Vegetation Along Waterways
Native vegetation along banks plays a very important role in:
- the lifecycle of many native animals
- improves productivity of surrounding land
- decreased erosion
- improved water quality
- healthy ecosystems and restored biodiversity
- reduced flood damage
- increased property value
- food source for native animals and refuge during times of drought and fire
- improved soil fertility
- sediment control and filtration of nutrients
The land that adjoins, or directly influences a body of water is also known as riparian land and includes:
- land immediately alongside small creeks and rivers, including the river bank itself
- gullies and dips which sometimes run with water
- areas surrounding lakes and dams
- wetlands and river floodplains which interact with the river in times of flood
The vegetation that grows in this area is called Riparian Vegetation and is also known as a Riparian Corridor. These vegetated corridors act as the 'skin' that provides protection to a waterway, acting as a buffer between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and maintaining the health and viability of the waterway, by:
- holding bank soil in place and reducing the risk of bed and bank erosion
- filtering sediments and nutrients from surface run-off and groundwater
- regulating water temperature
- providing shade, shelter and organic matter for aquatic organisms, and
- 'shading out' exotic weed species
Riparian corridors are also an important socio-economic asset, providing an integral link between suburbs, supporting people movement, offering recreational opportunities and improving the visual amenity of the surrounding area.