Riparian Forest Buffer
A riparian forest buffer is a strip of vegetation including trees and shrubs that is located adjacent to and up-gradient of a water body such as a stream. These areas serve to “buffer” the stream against excess nutrients, pollutants, sediment, and other organic matter flowing off of adjacent agricultural or developed areas.
The vegetation filters surface runoff by slowing down the flow of water which allows for greater infiltration, nutrient uptake by plants, and sediment retention. Additionally, taller vegetation such as trees shade the stream and moderate water temperatures which can improve the habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms.
Trees also contribute detritus and large woody debris to the stream, which provides fish and other populations an area for nurseries and refuge from predators. Often riparian buffers along streams serve as the only corridors within a larger agricultural or urban landscape through which wildlife can move from one area to another.
