Restoration of floodplains and floodplain forests, natural succession

Identifying and re-establishing of flood plains and deposition areas, such as by removal of protection structures for agricultural land, contributes to the retention of water along rivers and, thus, to heavy rain risk reduction. In the past, most floodplains have been taken over for other uses; former floodplain forests are separated from river and runoff pathways and modified into residual low-density forests without natural regeneration. Land use of flood plains can be different. Most space is required by self-regenerating floodplain forests (“mobile ecosystems”) – much more than floodplain grassland or reed beds. Restoration of such forests is a demanding and long-lasting process and requires planning; however, it is a crucial measure for climate change adaptation and mitigation.