The Use of Large Wood in Stream Restoration: Experiences from 50 projects in Germany and Austria

Authors:
Kail, J., D. Hering, S. Muhar, M. Gerhard and S. Preis

Publication Date:
2007

Abstract/Summary:
Large wood has been used successfully in several projects in central Europe, predominantly to increase the general structural complexity using fixed wood structures. Our results recommend the use of less costly soft engineering techniques (non-fixed wood structures), higher amounts of wood, larger wood structures and improved monitoring programmes for future restoration projects comparable with those in this study. We recommend the use of ‘passive restoration’ methods (restoring the process of wood recruitment on large scales) rather than ‘active restoration’ (placement of wood structures on a reach scale), as passive restoration avoids the risk of non-natural amounts or diversity of wood loading developing within streams. Local, active placement of wood structures must be considered as an interim measure until passive restoration methods have increased recruitment sufficiently.

Resource Type:
Peer-reviewed Article

Source:
Journal of Applied Ecology

Link:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2007.01401.x/asset/j.1365-2664.2007.01401.x.pdf?v=1&t=j1ju3q24&s=11d3e8df3257234a1b5de3f3fa37c0b28b470558&systemMessage=Pay+Per+View+on+Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+unavailable+on+Saturday+15th+April+from+12%3A00-09%3A00+EDT+for+essential+maintenance.++Apologies+for+the+inconvenience.