Resources on Riparian Forests

Research Publications | Articles & Brochures for the General Public | General Background on Streams | For Communities | Restoration | Tree Shelters

Research Publications

Bentrup, G.,M. Schoeneberger, M. Dosskey, and G. Wells. 2004. Conservation Buffers:  Planning and Design Principles. USDA National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE.

Castelle, A. J. & Johnson, A. W. (2000) National Council for Air and Stream Improvement

Chesapeake 2000 Agreement. Chesapeake Bay Program, U.S.E.P.A. 13pp.

Correll, D. 2003. Vegetated Stream Riparian Zones: Their Effects on Stream Nutrients, Sediments, and Toxic Substances: An Annotated and Indexed Bibliography of the world literature, including buffer strips and interactions with hyporheic zones and floodplains.[View paper online]

Davies, P. E., and M. Nelson. 1994. Relationships between Riparian Buffer Widths and the Effects of Logging on Stream Habitat, Invertebrate Community Composition and Fish Abundance. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 45:1289-1305.

Dukes, M. D., R. O. Evans, J. W. Gilliam, and S. H. Kunickis. 2002. Effect of riparian buffer width and vegetation type on shallow groundwater quality in the Middle Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Transactions of the ASAE 45:327-336.

Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. Public Law 107-171, USA.

Hickey, M. B. C., and B. Doran. 2004. A review of the efficiency of buffer strips for the maintenance and enhancement of riparian ecosystems. Water Quality Research Journal of Canada 39:311-317.

Horwitz, R. J., Hession, W. C., Sweeney, B. W. Effects of Forested and Unforested Riparian Zones on Stream Fishes. 2000. Proc. American Water Resources Association International Conference on Riparian Ecology and Management in Multi-Land Use Watersheds (American Water Resources Association, VA), pp. 197-202.

Johnson, S. L. & Jones, J. A. (2000) Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 57, 1–10.

Kelly, D. J., Bothwell, M. L. & Schindler, D. W. (2003) Ecology 84, 2724–2740.

King, S. E. 2005. M. S. Thesis. NC State University.

Lee, K. E., R. M. Goldstein, and P. E. Hanson. 2001. Relation between fish communities and riparian zone conditions at two spatial scales. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 37:1465-1473.

Lee, P., C. Smyth, and S. Boutin. 2004. Quantitative review of riparian buffer width guidelines from Canada and the United States. Journal of Environmental Management 70:165-180.

Lowrance, R., L. S. Altier, J. D. Newbold, R. R. Schnabel, P. M. Groffman, J. M. Denver, D. L. Correll, J. W. Gilliam, J. L. Robinson, R. B. Brinsfield, K. W. Staver, W. C. Lucas, and A. H. Todd. 1995. Water quality functions of riparian forest buffer systems in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Chesapeake Bay Program Technology Transfer Report. in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA 903-R-95-004 CBP/TRS 134/95.

Lowrance, R., L. S. Altier, J. D. Newbold, R. R. Schnabel, P. M. Groffman, J. M. Denver, D. L. Correll, J. W. Gilliam, J. L. Robinson, R. B. Brinsfield, K. W. Staver, W. C. Lucas, and A. H. Todd. 1997. Water quality functions of riparian forest buffer systems in the Chesapeake Bay Watersheds. Environmental Management 21:687-712.

Lowrance, R., R. G. Williams, S. R. Inamdar, D. D. Bosch, and J. M. Sheridan. 2001. Evaluation of coastal plain conservation buffers using the riparian ecosystem management model. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 37:1445-1455.

Newbold, J. D., D. C. Erman, and K. B. Roby. 1980. Effects of logging on macroinvertebrates in streams with and without buffer strips. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 37:1076-1085.

Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. 2003. Addendum Agreement: Commonwealth of PA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Commodity Credit Corporation.

Phillips, J. D. 1989. Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Effectiveness of Riparian Forests Along a Coastal Plain River. Journal of Hydrology 110:221-237.

Rutherford, J. C., Davies-Colley, R. J., Quinn, J. M., Stroud, M. J. & Cooper, A. B. 1999. Stream shade: Towards a restoration strategy. Wellington, New Zealand Department of Conservation Rept.

Sonoda, K., J. A. Yeakley, and C. E. Walker. 2001. Near-stream landuse effects on streamwater nutrient distribution in an urbanizing watershed. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 37:1517-1532.

Spackman, S., and J. W. Hughes. 1995. Assessment of minimum stream corridor width for biological conservation: species richness and distribution along mid-order streams in Vermont, USA. Biological Conservation 71:325-332.

Stewart, J. S., L. Z. Wang, J. Lyons, J. A. Horwatich, and R. Bannerman. 2001. Influences of watershed, riparian-corridor, and reach-scale characteristics on aquatic biota in agricultural watersheds. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 37:1475-1487.

Schmitt, T. J., M. G. Dosskey, K. D. Hoagland. 1999. Filter strip performance for different vegetation, widths, and contaminants. J. Environmental Quality 28:1479-1489.

Sweeney, B.W. 1993. Effects of Streamside Vegetation on Macroinvertebrate Communities of White Clay Creek in Eastern North America. Proceedings of Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (144)-291-340.

“The presence or absence of trees on land adjacent to stream channels is shown to significantly affect the structure and function of macroinvertebrate communities in White Clay Creek, a Piedmont stream in southeastern PA)”[View PDF; 3.5MB]

Sweeney, B.W., T.L. Bott, J.K. Jackson, L.A. Kaplan, J.D. Newbold, L.J. Standley, W.C. Hession, and R.J. Horwitz. 2004. Riparian Deforestation, Stream Narrowing, and Loss of Stream Ecosystem Services. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101(39):14132-14137.

“Not only do forest buffers prevent nonpoint source pollutants from entering small streams, they also enhance the in-stream processing of both nonpoint and point source pollutant, thereby reducing their impacts on downstream rivers and estuaries.” View PDF; 393K]

Vellidis, G., R. Lowrance, P. Gay, and R. K. Hubbard. 2003. Nutrient transport in a restored riparian wetland. Journal of Environmental Quality 32:711-726.

Wenger, S. 1999. A review of the scientific literature on riparian buffer width, extent, and vegetation. Publication of the Office of Public Service and Outreach, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia. 58pp.

One of the most comprehensive and authoritative reviews of buffer width literature. Wenger (1999) who considered over 140 articles and books in order to establish a legally –defensible basis for determining riparian buffer width, extent and vegetation. In this review, Wenger recommends a 100-foot baseline buffer to give “greatest level of protection for stream corridors” with additional width to compensate for slope (e.g., 2 additional feet per 1% slope) and other factors (e.g., extend the width by the width of any impervious surface in the proposed buffer). He calls this recommendation “conservative” but “defensible given the literature reviewed here.” [View PDF; 818KB]

Articles & Brochures for the General Public

Blaine, J. 2005. “Getting to the Root of a Problem”. Philadelphia Inquirer. [View PDF; 119KB]

Blaine, J. 2005. “Volunteers Work to Restore Forests”. Daily Local News, West Chester, PA. [View PDF; 653KB]

Riparian forests not only keep pollutants out of stream, they help process those that are in them. (2005). Stroud Water Research Center. 4-page color fact sheet describing selected benefits of riparian forests.

Riparian Forest Buffers: Function and Design for Protection and Enhancement of Water Resources. USDA. 1991. Documents the ecological benefits of riparian forests and the structure and function of buffers as a best management tool including a recommended buffer width diagram (20 pages, color). [View brochure online]

The Benefits of Riparian Buffers. 2005. Stroud Water Research Center. One page overview of the benefits of buffers.

General Background on Streams

Where Rivers are Born: The Scientific Imperative for Defending Small Streams and Wetlands. 2003. Sponsored by American Rivers and Sierra Club. This paper summarizes the scientific basis for understanding that the health and productivity of rivers and lakes depends upon intact small streams and wetlands. Co-authored by 11 leading scientists, including 2 from the Stroud Center. [View article online]

For Communities

Dutcher, D., Finley, J.C., Luloff, A. E., Johnson, J. 2004. Landowner Perceptions of Protecting and Establishing Riparian Forests: A Qualitative Analysis. Society and Natural Resources, 17:319.

Ernst, C., Gullick, R., Nixon, K. 2004. Protecting the Source: Conserving Forests to Protect Water. Opflow. Vol.30, No. 5. American Water Works Association. Discusses results from a survey of water suppliers conducted in 2002 which found that water treatment costs for utilities using primarily surface water supplies varied depending on amount of forest cover in the watershed. [View PDF; 483KB]

Stream Corridor Protection Strategy for Local Governments. 2002. University of Virginia. Developed to help local government staff and others formulate protection strategies for their streams, in order to protect the health of their communities. [View PDF; 1.6MB]

Protecting the Source: Land Conservation and the Future of America’s Drinking Water. 2004. Trust for Public Land & American Water Works Association. Presents a series of best practices to guide communities’ source protection efforts and showcase communities that are linking land and water protection effectively. [View PDF; 1.0MB]

The Ten Principals of Municipal Forest Riparian Buffer Protection (2005). Natural Lands Trust.

Restoration

Landowner Guide to Buffer Success: a Comprehensive Seasonal Guide for Your Forested Buffer Project. 2007. USDA CREP. [View PDF; 5.2MB]

Adopt-A-Buffer Toolkit: Monitoring and Maintaining Restoration Projects. 2003. Delaware Riverkeeper Network. [View PDF; 3.8MB]

Impact of Riparian Forest Cover on Mid-Atlantic Stream Ecosystems. 1994. Watershed Protection Techniques. Vol. 1, No.1.

Stream Releaf. A Plan for Restoring and Conserving Buffers Along Pennsylvania Streams. [View PDF; 690KB]

Sweeney, B. W., Czapka, S.J., Yerkes, T. 2002. Riparian Forest Restoration: Increasing Success by Reducing Plant Competition and Herbivory. Society for Ecological Restoration. Vol. 10, No.2.

Tree Shelters and Weed Control Increase the Survivorship of Riparian Plantings. 1994. Watershed Protection Techniques. Vol. 1, No.1.

Tree Shelters

Tree Shelters             www.treessentials.com      1-800-248-8239