Frontiers in Environmental Science (Apr 2022)

Riparian Zones—From Policy Neglected to Policy Integrated

  • Gorazd Urbanič,
  • Emilio Politti,
  • Patricia María Rodríguez-González,
  • Robin Payne,
  • Derek Schook,
  • Maria Helena Alves,
  • Ana Anđelković,
  • Daniel Bruno,
  • Mila Chilikova-Lubomirova,
  • Sara Di Lonardo,
  • Roey Egozi,
  • Virginia Garófano-Gómez,
  • Virginia Garófano-Gómez,
  • Inês Gomes Marques,
  • Marta González del Tánago,
  • Yaşar Selman Gültekin,
  • Bruna Gumiero,
  • Seppo Hellsten,
  • Georgi Hinkov,
  • Jiří Jakubínský,
  • Philippe Janssen,
  • Roland Jansson,
  • Mary Kelly-Quinn,
  • Timea Kiss,
  • Stefan Lorenz,
  • Roberto Martinez Romero,
  • Zlatko Mihaljević,
  • Eva Papastergiadou,
  • Maja Pavlin Urbanič,
  • Ellis Penning,
  • Tenna Riis,
  • Jozef Šibík,
  • Mária Šibíková,
  • Tzvetan Zlatanov,
  • Simon Dufour

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.868527
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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1. Riparian zones are vital areas of interaction between land and rivers and are often degraded by several pressures such as urbanisation, intensive agriculture and river engineering works. 2. This policy brief provides five key policy messages and recommendations to be considered by policy-makers, scientists, managers, and stakeholders to enhance riparian zone management. 3. Adopting an integrated socio-economic and environmentally dynamic view will ensure the sustainable management of riparian zones. 4. In light of climate change, it is critically important to conserve and/or restore the ecological integrity of riparian zones. 5. European Union Directives and national-scale legislation and regulations need updating to ensure coordinated implementation of riparian zone-related policies. 6. Stakeholder knowledge exchange, policy co-creation and adaptive management are key to enhancing riparian zone functions.

Keywords