Willows have been widely planted along waterways in Victoria. They are a cheap and effective method of providing erosion control. However, there are costs, such as environmental and river management problems caused by excess willow growth. Use of willows is now being reassessed in light of these problems. This report discusses the impacts of willows on streams and provides information on willow management, and alternatives to willow planting.
Willows have the potential to spread rapidly along Victorian waterways.
Until recently, it was thought that only 5 willow taxa grew along Victorian waterways and until 1993 there were no reports of willows seeding. It is now known that there are 23 willow taxa naturalised in Victoria and several are outstandingly invasive because of their biology and ecology - specifically, their reproductive ability. Willows are adversely affecting many streams. Willows adversely affect the ecology of small streams and offer less suitable riparian habitat than indigenous riparian plant species. There are several streams where willows are invading areas of high conservation value, for example, Croajingolong National Park, and Snowy River National Park.