Restoring riparian zones in harmony with farming fostering natural habitats for bank-nesting birds

Birds that nest on steep banks, such as sand martins and bee-eaters, are good indicators of the morphological condition of a water body and – due to their dependence on insects as a food source – also of the ecological condition of the surrounding area, which is often used for agriculture. Due to the extensive straightening and obstruction of watercourses, as well as sediment retention behind transverse structures, they are now only found in very isolated locations in the Alps and their foothills. Successful restoration of watercourses requires the creation of conditions that promote morphodynamic processes such as bank erosion and ensure their long-term survival. The EU Restoration Act increases the requirements for the scale of the measures and calls for a more intensive examination of existing conflicts of use. ripa bnb supports the WWF on the Morava River in the Alpine-Carpathian Corridor in preparing suitable restoration measures. First, under the more natural conditions of the Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube, the role of riparian sediments in providing suitable breeding habitats is being investigated and, based on measurements of riverbank erodibility, the ‘lifespan’ of steep bank sections and their dependence on external conditions is being determined. The models created will be tested under the more alpine conditions of the Lavant River, where a restoration measure has succeeded in attracting sand martins, before being applied in the Morava floodplains. The birds are tracked as they search for food and conclusions are drawn about their preferences regarding hunting locations. The Studia Austria research association is conducting a holistic investigation of the agro-economic effects of bank-nesting-friendly management, applying transdisciplinary methods to involve a wide range of stakeholders and identifying win-win situations in contexts initially perceived as conflicts of use.