Degradation to Recovery: Climate and Human Drivers of Riparian Forest Health in the Danube

We used 40 years of satellite data + causal methods to assess riparian forest health. Key finding: restoration leads to delayed but measurable recovery, despite increasing drought stress.

Restoring river connectivity can boost forest resilience under climate change—but requires long-term commitment.

Our results highlight the importance of sustained restoration for conservation in regulated rivers.

See the full paper here: Afzali, H., Kuemmerle, T., Baumann, M., Hudcovic, M., Michaleje, L., Rusnák, M. (2026), Climate variability and human disturbances as drivers of vegetation health in the riparian zone of the Danube. Environmental Research Letter 21(2026) 124016.