Changes in forest extent in the corridors of four rivers of the Polish Carpathians over the last 130 years and their relation to changes in planform river geometry were investigated through the analysis of 1:25000-scale maps from the 1870s and aerial images from the mid-20th century and 2009. Average proportions of river and its geomorphic units as well as floodplain and its land cover features in the total width/area of the analysed river corridors were determined and compared between the three dates. All the analysed rivers narrowed significantly over the study period. This increased considerably the proportion of floodplains in the area of the river corridors, while lateral parts of the former, wide channels became a place of forest development. In the Koszarawa and Raba valleys, forest developed also on parts of the former floodplains following a decline in agricultural and pastoral use of lands with shallow, poor soils. The proportion of forest in the total area of the river corridors increased from 0–7.5% in the 1870s to 28.5–46.5% in 2009, and the forest expansion was mainly driven by the timing and scale of channelization works that reclaimed parts of the former channels from the rivers. A reduction in flow and sediment dynamics of Carpathian rivers over the 20th century enabled development of islands in their active zones. However, channelization works eliminated islands from most river reaches and thus islands persisted only in scarce unmanaged reaches. The expansion of floodplain forests in Carpathian valleys improves functioning of the river ecosystems but the resultant increased delivery of large wood to river channels may generate flood hazard. Optimal river management should avoid removal of riparian trees to maximize the environmental benefits but enable undisturbed transfer of driftwood through bridge cross-sections to minimize the flood hazard resulting from floodplain forest development. Display omitted •We examined changes in the extent of floodplain forest and their relation to channel changes of Polish Carpathian rivers.•Corridors of four rivers presented on historical maps and aerial photos from the last 130 years were analysed.•Forest developed on lateral parts of the former, wide channels narrowed in the course of river channelization.•In the 20th century islands developed in unmanaged river reaches and were eliminated from channelized reaches.•Floodplain forests exert a beneficial influence on the river ecosystems but are also a source of flood hazard.