Database

Create structurally diverse riparian vegetation

Habitat	Function	Type of work
Water bodies	Living environment	Water bodies management

Climate models indicate increased precipitation in Estonia, making it necessary to establish and maintain a high-quality drainage system to adapt to climate change. Draining wet grasslands ensures their productivity while also creating water-related habitats.

Description of the action

Create a structurally diverse riparian vegetation structure (varying plant heights along the shoreline). Mowed vegetation can be left on the ditch banks.

Why?

Drainage networks perform vital functions in soil management and help create favorable soil conditions. Ditches support many animals, plants, and insects. The best ditches have gentle slopes and stepped edges with natural vegetation. Vegetation along ditch banks should be managed every 2-5 years, preferably in autumn and winter.