Invited Speaker
Assoc. Prof. George Zaimes
Deputy Director - UNESCO Chair Con-E-Ect Conservation & Ecotourism of Riparian & Deltaic EcosystemsDirector - Lab of Geomorphology, Edaphology & Riparian Areas (GERi Lab)
Associate Professor - Dept. of Forest & Natural Environment Sciences, Stream & Riparian Area Mgt, Democritus University of Thrace,
Drama, 66100, GREECE
Speech Title: Monitoring stream bank erosion under different riparian land-uses utilizing various methodological approaches
Abstract: Stream bank erosion can provide a significant percentage of the sediment that reach water bodies. In many cases it was estimated that they can contribute up to 90%. Nature-based solutions, such as riparian forest can help significantly reduce stream bank erosion rates. While worldwide there have been major research efforts to estimate stream bank erosion rates and best management practices to mitigate them, there is a finite number of studies on stream bank erosion in Greece. The objective of this study was to estimate erosion rates is a typical Greek watershed with different riparian land-uses. The specific watershed studied was the Aggitis that is located in Northern Greece. Erosion rates were estimated with traditional methods (e.g., erosion pins) along with new methods (laser scanning and unmanned air vehicles). Erosion pins are narrow metal rods installed horizontally in the bank that are commonly used to measure the retreat of the streambanks over time. The pins were placed at 1/3 and 2/3 of the total height of the stream bank. A total of 400 pins were placed in 40 plots in different riparian land uses with 5 total measurements in different season over a two year period. The different riparian land-uses were: 1) Agricultural lands, 2) Broad-leaved forests, 3) Natural grasslands and 4) Sclerophyllous vegetation. For the laser scanning we choose three stream reaches with different geomorphological characteristics. The results of the scanning allowed to monitor stream bank erosion and deposition more precisely and at a larger scale. The first scanning took place in February of 2022 while the second measurements were taken on March of 2023. These three reaches were also surveyed with an unmanned aerial vehicle, specifically the MAVIC 2 PRO. The flights were conducted on March 2021, February 2022 and August 2022. Overall, the riparian forested areas had the lowest rates. In addition, a comparison of the pros and cons the three different methodologies was done.