ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Most rivers in Switzerland were canalised and many small creeks have been put in culverts during the last 150 years to protect villages and infrastructure against floods and to enlarge agricultural land. The natural character of these watercourses changed therefore to a monotonous and boring shape. The loss of the habitats with their great variety of animals and plants aroused a fundamental change in the way how to implement river construction works. Nature friendly techniques like construction methods with living plants (willows and others) were developed and tested. The new approach leads to an astonishing increase of ecological values. Nature friendly river works and revitalization of canalised rivers is now part of the federal law in Switzerland.
