● What are river woodlands? River woodlands include trees and woods in, next to, and near rivers, burns, and lochs. They are woodlands that are influenced by river processes such as recycling nutrients, storing carbon, and regulating water flow. In turn, these woodlands influence the river and its freshwater habitat. River woodlands include many kinds of woods such as: → Riparian woodland: woodlands found along the bank of a natural body of freshwater such as a stream, river, or loch. → Floodplain woodland: all woodland lying within a fluvial floodplain subject to regular/natural flooding. This includes woodlands on islands within a river. → Gorge woodland: native trees in gorges where the influence of the riparian zone extends beyond the floodplain due to high humidity levels. → Woodland buffer strips: managed woodland next to freshwater which typically acts as a 'buffer' to agricultural land. → Large wood material: the fallen stems, logs, sticks, branches, and other wood that fall into streams and rivers. This can also include man-made large wood structures sometimes called artificial leaky dams.

● Why are river woodlands important? River woodlands are the green arteries of an ecosystem. They are vital for creating and maintaining healthy rivers and are biologically rich areas that provide a link between land and water. Rivers transport nutrients from nearby woods, forming the basis of food chains, while many species rely on river woodlands for habitat, food, and vital stages of their life cycles such as spawning. There is no set width or design for a river woodland, with the ecosystem extending across valleys as far as the influence of groundwater, flood waters, and higher levels of humidity in the air. Though they are different in every place, they are always integral to healthy rivers, land, and people.

● Benefits of thriving river woodlands Explore the range of benefits a restored network of river woodlands would offer Scotland's people and wildlife.

◦ River woodlands help manage the quality of freshwater. ◦ Climate action: river woodlands modify the local climate, with trees having a cooling effect and intercepting dew from the river. They reduce the drying of soil surfaces and retain humidity from the river. ◦ Climate action: alleviating flood risk by stabilization of river banks and formation of natural dams by fallen trees, branches, and leaves. ◦ Climate action: storing and sequestering carbon in optimal conditions (broad valleys with complex channels and wet conditions in cool regions). ◦ Sustaining soils by increasing surface sediment and organic matter. ◦ Conserving biodiversity and ecosystems: Autumn leaf fall provides food for invertebrates in the river which in turn feed fish, birds, and bats at critical times of the year. The varied light conditions created by trees overhanging the river enable diverse algae and plant communities, which in turn provide shelter and food for other river life. ◦ Improving health and wellbeing by reducing exposure to noise and air pollution, reducing stress, strengthening the immune system through contact with nature, and so on. ◦ Cooling urban areas by helping to extend the cooling effect of river moisture inland. ◦ Boosting numbers of wild fish (such as salmon and trout) by providing cool refuges that improve fish survival and productivity. ◦ Sustaining food production by providing multiple benefits to arable and livestock farms and encouraging pollinator abundance and diversity, leading to increased crop yields

● Current situation in Scotland Across Scotland, native woodlands have come under a range of threats such as commercial afforestation, over-grazing, pollution, and the introduction of invasive exotic species. River woodlands are no exception to this trend and often face unique pressures due to their relationship with the watercourse. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency performed a survey (2014/2015) of over 44,000 km of riverside habitats and found that 56% of these areas were of 'Poor' quality, with little to no tree cover or complex vegetation. Many organizations across Scotland are taking action to create, restore, and improve the quality of river woodlands. Common actions include planting appropriate native species, fencing the area to protect it from grazers, and inserting large wood material into the water.