Hydromorphological, hydraulic and ecological effects of restored wood: findings and reflections from an academic partnership approach

Large wood (re)introduction can deliver multiple benefits in river restoration, but there is a dearth of the detailed and longer-term post-project monitoring and evaluation required for improving best practice. We present findings from an academic partnership approach to post-project evaluation, based on successive MSc research projects on restored large wood in the Loddon catchment, UK. Field and modelling data reveal: (i) key differences in large wood features between restored and natural reaches; (ii) increased hydraulic retention and changes to mesohabitats associated with large wood; (iii) differences in macroinvertebrate community composition around large wood but a lack of site-level effects; (iv) interactions between macrophytes and large wood that may be specific to restored reaches; (v) a need for further field and modelling studies to inform the accurate representation of large wood in hydraulic models. Some key challenges in partnership working are identified to aid planning and effectiveness of future collaborations.