Putting Ecology into River Restoration: An Introduction

Putting Ecology into River Restoration:
An Introduction

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River systems globally have been impacted by various human pressures, including dredging, channel straightening and the construction of instream infrastructure (e.g. dams, weirs). Such stressors have severe consequences for river ecosystems and the services they provide to society. In response to this, river restoration schemes have been increasingly implemented in recent decades, often with an overarching objective of achieving ecological improvements. As such, it is critical to understand how different restoration activities are likely to facilitate ecological change.

This one-day course provides an introduction on how ecological principles can be incorporated within river restoration strategies. It does so with a specific emphasis on freshwater macroinvertebrates, a diverse group of organisms that represent the core part of river ecosystems. In a fully virtual environment, participants will learn how river restoration practices can aim to (re)create specific habitats that are used by different freshwater macroinvertebrates. It does so through a series of interactive presentations and activities, including examining habitat-driven ecological changes at a real-world restoration scheme by examining 360⁰ imagery, extensive video footage and specialist ecological datasets.

• Develop an understanding of the ecological importance of river habitat variability

RRC Members: £206 (Online course cost: £150)

Non-members: £268 (Online course cost: £201)

• Recognise how river restoration schemes can create ecologically important habitats

• Apply information on habitat and ecological variability to appraise the effectiveness of river restoration schemes

What did previous participants think was the most useful thing they learnt?

"How to design a monitoring programme to demonstrate success of my schemes based on functional process and hydromorph"

"Which invertebrates were found in which habitats, and what the hydromorphological characteristics meant for the habitats that would be expected"

"Requirement for mixed functional habitat to support ecological diversity. Will use when reviewing future river restoration designs"

July 2023

July 2022

Online

February 2022

Online