Riparian woodlands are distinctive components of Mediterranean landscapes. As natural forests of riverbanks, they form major linear features along hydrographic networks and spread out to a greater or lesser extent at various points along along their courses: they form sometimes modest bankside woodlands bordering minor watercourses, while in other locations they form genuine alluvial forests, complex and diverse. Their existence depends on the presence of groundwater not very far below the surface and on periodic flooding.
In Mediterranean Riparian Woodlands, Mediterranean riparian woods are firstly placed in their regional bioclimatic context (chapter 2). They are then considered from the point of view of their heritage interest (chapter 3), their ecological aspects (chapter 4), their integration into the landscape (chapter 5), and finally their restoration and upkeep (chapter 6). The conclusion returns to the subject of these Mediterranean riparian woodlands' distinctive character in the context of the management of water, land and landscapes.