Riparian Zones - What are they?

Contents

• Theme: Riparian zones: defined
• Local government focus
• Case study 1: Riparian management and the law
• Getting a Grip: Notes from the field
• Case study 2: Commissioner's Gully
• It's a Wrap: News from around Australia

How do you define a riparian zone?

This question is not an easy one to answer, as riparian land can be defined in a number of different ways. The choice of definition is generally dependent on the situation or management aim, and the person or group doing the defining. The following article discusses four different ways of defining a riparian zone - each of them may be useful, yet each of them base their definition of the riparian zone on different characterising features. Difficulties arise when there is disagreement about what does and does not constitute a riparian zone. This means that it is extremely important everybody shares the same definition before embarking upon the development and implementation of a riparian zone rehabilitation or management plan.

From the Editor

How do you define a riparian zone? This edition of RipRap looks at the many different ways a riparian zone can be defined. For example, you could use an ecological, managerial or legal definition and, although very different, all would be useful. Interestingly, the legal dimension to riparian zone management is often forgotten. This is despite the fact that State/Territory legislation and local by-laws can support or prohibit the undertaking of particular activities in a legally defined riparian zone. Recent research into this topic is presented in Case Study 1 of this edition, with the findings highlighting the complex web of legislation that exists in each Australian state and territory.

Other features in this edition include: some new research into the sediment trapping capabilities of buffer zones; details of the voluntary riverbank scheme in the Mary River Catchment in Queensland; and, a look at the new poster that will be released next year to promote the work being undertaken in the River Restoration and Management R&D Program.

I would like to thank all those people who wrote in about Edition 10 of RipRap - within the first few weeks the 3000 copies printed had all gone and the subscription list has increased by around 25% - an early Christmas present for the program!! On that note, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and all the best for 1999.

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