Riparian Forest Buffers

<body> <ul> <li><a href="#forest">What is a riparian forest?</a></li> <li><a href="#buffer">What is a riparian forest buffer?</a></li> <li><a href="#benefits">The Benefits of Riparian Forest Buffers</a></li> </ul> <hr> <p><a name="forest"><strong>What is a riparian forest?</strong></a></p> <p>Riparian forests refer to the areas of forested land adjacent to a body of water, stream, river, marsh, or shoreline which form the transition between the aquatic and the terrestrial environment. Linking the landscape to the Bay, close to 100,000 miles of interconnected streams, rivers, wetlands and their riparian areas serve as a "circulatory system" for the Chesapeake Bay. Forests are the natural riparian vegetation in the Bay region. Although they comprise only about 5-10% of the land in the watershed, riparian areas play an extremely important role in maintaining the health of the Bay. However, close to 50% of these streamside and shoreline forests are now disturbed or degraded, and more continue to be lost. Protecting and restoring riparian forests is one of the goals of the Bay restoration effort.</p> <hr> <p><a name="buffer"><strong>What is a riparian forest buffer?</strong></a></p> <p>Riparian forest buffers are areas of trees, usually accompanied by shrubs and other vegetation, that are adjacent to a body of water which are managed to maintain the integrity of stream channels and shorelines, to reduce the impact of upland sources of pollution by trapping, filtering, and converting sediments, nutrients, and other chemicals, and to supply food, cover, and thermal protection to fish and other wildlife.</p> <p>The concept behind a riparian buffer is to put the natural benefits and functions of riparian areas to work in non-point source pollution control. When considering the range of benefits provided and potential effectiveness, forests are the most effective type of riparian buffer available. These linear strips of forest serve as a stream's last line of defense against the activities we undertake in managing the land, such as agriculture, grazing, and urban development. Unlike most best management practices, the high value of forests to wildlife and fish helps these buffers accomplish habitat benefits at the same time they improve water quality.</p> <p>Riparian buffers will vary in character, effectiveness and size based on the environmental setting, proposed management, level of protection desired and landowner objectives. A three-zone buffer concept has been proposed to assist technical professionals and landowners with the planning and design of riparian forest buffers. The width of each zone is determined by site conditions and landowner objectives. This three-zone concept provides a conceptual framework in which water quality, habitat, and landowner objectives can be accomplished.</p> <p>Click here to view a schematic of the <a href="javascript:popWindow();">three-zone riparian forest buffer</a><img src="images/intericon.gif" alt="Pop-up Window" align="absbottom" width="18" height="15">.</p> <hr> <p><a name="benefits"><strong>The Benefits of Riparian Forest Buffers: </strong></a></p> <p>Riparian forests are integral to the health of the Bay and its rivers for many reasons. Their position in the landscape makes these forests excellent buffers between upland areas and waters that eventually enter the Bay. <ul> <li> <i></i><em>Filtering Runoff:</em> Rain that runs off the land can be slowed and infiltrated in the forest, settling out sediment, nutrients and pesticides before they reach streams. Infiltration rates 10-15 times higher than grass turf and 40 times higher than a plowed field are common in forested areas. Studies have shown dramatic reductions of 30 to 98% in nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, pesticides, and other pollutants in surface and groundwater after passing through a riparian forest. In addition, trees provide deep root systems which hold soil in place, thereby stabilizing streambanks and reducing erosion.</li> </ul> <ul> <li> <i></i><em>Nutrient Uptake:</em> Fertilizers and other pollutants that originate on the land are taken up by tree roots. Nutrients are stored in leaves, limbs and roots instead of reaching the stream. Through a process called "denitrification," bacteria in the forest floor convert harmful nitrate to nitrogen gas, which is released into the air.</li> </ul> <ul> <li> <i></i><em>Canopy and Shade:</em> Cool stream temperatures maintained by riparian vegetation are essential to the health of aquatic species. Shading moderates water temperatures and protects against rapid fluctuations that can harm stream health and reduce fish spawning and survival. Elevated temperatures also accelerate algae growth and reduce dissolved oxygen, further degrading water quality. In a small stream, temperatures may rise 1.5 degrees in just 100 feet of exposure without trees. The leaf canopy also improves air quality by filtering dust from wind erosion, construction or farm machinery.</li> </ul> <ul> <li> <i></i><em>Leaf Food:</em> Leaves fall into a stream and are trapped on woody debris (fallen trees and limbs) and rocks where they provide food and habitat for small bottom-dwelling creatures (i.e crustaceans, amphibians, insects and small fish), organisms that are critical to the aquatic food chain.</li> </ul> <ul> <li> <i></i><em>Habitat:</em> Riparian forests offer a tremendous diversity of habitat. The layers of habitat provided by trees, shrubs, and grasses and the transition of habitats from aquatic to upland make these areas critical in the life stages of over one-half of all native Bay species. Forest corridors provide crucial migratory habitat for neotropical songbirds, some of which are now threatened due to loss of habitat. Also, many ecologically important species such as herons, wood ducks, black ducks, as well as amphibians, turtles, foxes and eagles utilize the riparian forest. Streams that travel through woodlands provide more habitat for migratory fish by providing suitable spawning habitat for shad, herring, alewife, perch, and striped bass. The decline of these species is partly due to destruction of habitat, which for some, like shad and herring, extends well into small streams. Trees and woody debris provide valuable cover for crabs, small fish and other aquatic organisms along the Bay's shoreline as well. Degradation of any portion of a stream can have profound effects on living resources downstream. While the overall impact of these riparian forest corridors may be greatest in headwaters and smaller order streams, there is a clear linkage all the way to the Bay.</li> </ul> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="2" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="100%"> <tr> <td><a name="What YOU can do:"><strong>What YOU can do:</strong></a> <ul> <li>To get involved with the Riparian Forest Buffer Initiative, contact the individual listed below for your state or<br> jurisdiction.<br> </li> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="8"> <tr> <td><font size="2"><strong>Chesapeake Bay Program:</strong><br> <br> Riparian Buffer Initiative Coordinator<br> Chesapeake Bay Program<br> 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109<br> Annapolis, MD 21403<br> (800) YOUR BAY<br> FAX: (410) 267-5777<br> <a href="mailto:buffers.forest@epamail.epa.gov">buffers.forest@epa.gov</a> </font></td> <td><font size="2"><strong>Maryland:</strong><br> <br> Jim Mallow<br> State Forester<br> MD DNR Forest Service<br> 580 Taylor Avenue, E-1<br> Annapolis, MD 21401<br> (410) 260-8531<br> FAX: (410) 260-8595</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font size="2"><strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br> <br> C. Victor Funk<br> Assistant Director<br> PA DEP Bureau of Watershed Conservation<br> P.O. Box 8555<br> Harrisburg, PA 17105-8555<br> (717) 787-5267<br> FAX: (717) 787-9549</font></td> <td><font size="2"><strong>Virginia:</strong><br> <br> James Garner<br> State Forester<br> VA Department of Forestry<br> P.O. Box 3758<br> Charlottesville, VA 22903<br> (804) 977-6555<br> FAX: (804) 296-2369</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><font size="2"><strong>Federal Agencies and District of Columbia:</strong><br> <br> Al Todd<br> Chesapeake Bay Program Liaison<br> USDA Forest Service<br> 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109<br> Annapolis, MD 21403<br> (410) 267-5705<br> FAX (410) 267-5777<br> <a href="mailto:todd.al@epa.epamail.gov">todd.al@epa.epamail.gov</a>  </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> </ul> </td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#C6C68C" width="100%"> <tr> <td><strong>Other Sites of Interest:</strong> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.qest.demon.co.uk/bzchp.htm" target="_top">International Buffer Zone Site </a>(established by Quest Environmental)</li> <li><a href="http://www.usda.gov/stream_restoration" target="_top">Interagency Stream Corridor Restoration Information</a> </li> <li><a href="http://www.unl.edu:80/nac/riparian.htm" target="_top">National Agroforestry Center - Riparian Buffer Strips</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/OPA/Buffers.html" target="_top">National Conservation Buffer Initiative Information</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ag.iastate.edu/departments/forestry/res/riparian.html" target="_top">Iowa State University Agroecology Issue Team Riparian Buffer Project</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.okstate.edu/OSU_Ag/agedcm4h/pearl/wqs/f-5034.pdf" target="_top">OSU Water Quality Series Publications - Riparian Forest Buffers </a>(pdf file)</li> </ul> </td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <hr> <p align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">To bookmark this page, please use this URL: <a href="http://www.chesapeakebay.netforestbuff.htm" target="_top">http://www.chesapeakebay.netforestbuff.htm</a></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2">For more information, contact the Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD 21403 /  Tel: (800) YOUR-BAY /   Fax: (410) 267-5777. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2"><a href="javascript:print()"><img src="images/print.gif" width="34" height="38" border="0" alt="Print Current Page" align="right"></a><a href="http://www.chesapeakebay.net/directions.htm" target="_top">Directions to the Bay Program Office</a><a href="http://www.chesapeakebay.net/cims" target="_top"><img src="images/cims1.gif" height="19" width="51" border="0" align="left"></a></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2">Last modified: 09/18/01</font> <p> </p> </body>