Riparian Habitat in the River Deben

The Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust have been working with landowners and the Environment Agency to create and improve riparian habitats in the River Deben Catchment.

The ESRT have created a new riparian scrape and reprofiled the deeply incised banks of the Earl Soham Watercourse forming a seasonal shallow pool and a small backwater to provide opportunity for a water-base wildlife to flourish!

What is a riparian habitat?

The word riparian is derived from Latin ripa, meaning "river bank".

A riparian habitat is the interface between land and a river or stream. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by hydrophilic (water loving) plants.

Riparian zones are important in ecology, environmental resource management, and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation, their habitat biodiversity, and the influence they have on fauna and aquatic ecosystems, including grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, or even non-vegetative areas.