Education Resources

Links below are for resources geared towards specific audiences:

Local Organizations

Connecticut’s Needs

Mission: The Connecticut River, the longest river in New England, flows from the Connecticut Lakes in northern NH, south through VT, NH, MA and CT to empty into Long Island Sound.
Publication Link: http://www.fws.gov/r5crc/

Restored over 400 acres of salt marsh, 500 acres of freshwater wetland habitats,
and restored or created 600 acres of grassland habitats.

Save the Sound

Mission: Restore over 450 sites in CT and NY (see map)
Publication Link: http://www.savethesound.org

Save the Sound is dedicated to the restoration, protection, and appreciation
of Long Island Sound and its watershed through advocacy, education and research.

USDA Forest Service, Protecting New York City’s Water Supply Through the Use of Riparian Forest Buffers

Mission: The Northeastern Area has been assisting partners in the New York City Watershed since 1996. We have helped state and non-profit groups develop and implement strategies to ensure that forest lands continue to produce clean high quality water while supporting local forest industries.
Publication Link: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/watershed/factsheets/NYC.pdf

Fact sheet on NYC watershed protection from the Watershed and Clean Water
Grants Program. The overall goals of the project are to establish the programs
and resources necessary to aid and encourage all landowners in becoming active
stewards of their riparian corridors.

Westchester County Aquatic Buffer Guidance

Publication Link: http://planning.westchestergov.com/images/stories/stormwater/aquaticbuffersguide.pdf

Describes types, benefits, and characteristics of good urban aquatic buffers,
and provides guidance on managing, protecting, and planting buffers.

Westchester County Aquatic Restoration Sites

Publication Link: http://planning.westchestergov.com/completed-projects

Includes approximately 30 sites in Westchester (see map).

General Public

River Network

Publication Link: http://www.rivernetwork.org/programs/rivers-and-habitat
As the nation’s leader in supporting grassroots river and watershed conservation
groups, we have designed this site to link people with river information, resources
and services.

Riparian Forest Buffers Protect North America’s Surface Water Resources

Organization: Association for Temperate Agroforestry
General Information on Riparian Forest Buffers: http://www.aftaweb.org/entserv1.php?page=8

Know Your Watershed

Organization: Conservation Technology Information Center
Mission: A national, nonprofit dedicated to environmentally sound and economically viable decision making in agriculture; under the charter of the National Association of Conservation Districts.
Publication Link: http://www.ctic.purdue.edu (key word: riparian buffers)

Know Your Watershed is an information clearinghouse for watershed coordinators
to help assure measurable progress toward local goals.

Managing Stormwater: Riparian Buffer

Organization: GreenTreks
Mission: Beginning in 1993 as GreenWorks, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit organization with the mission of spreading a simple message: real people are making a difference to protect our planet.

This page provides video, projects and information related to Riparian Buffers.
Publication Link: http://www.greenworks.tv/stormwater/riparianbuffer.htm

Riparian Buffers for the Catawba Mainstem and Lakes

Organization: North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Publication Link: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/admin/pubinfo/documents/CatBufFactSht5-14.pdf

The importance of buffer zones.

River Voice (Spring 1998), Volume 9, Number 1

Organization: River Network
Mission: A national non-profit organization, offers consulting, publications, trainings and small grants to help people raise money, build organizations, and monitor and protect rivers and watersheds.
Publication Link: http://www.rivernetwork.org/library/rv1998v9n1.pdf

What is a Buffer? by River Network Staff; and Ecology of Natural Riparia by
George Constantz.

Stream Restoration Projects

Organization: Riverways Program
Mission: To promote the restoration and protection of the ecological integrity of the Commonwealth’s watersheds: rivers, streams and adjacent lands.
Publication Link: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/

Stream Restoration Projects are evaluated and undertaken by Riverways in partnership with local and regional river advocacy groups. Priority Projects are solicited each year for dam removal, culvert replacement and retrofits, bank stabilization, and stream daylighting. Technical Assistance provides assistance to citizens, municipalities and watershed groups to protect and restore river corridors,
ecological systems, and facilitate community redevelopment.

Riparian Forest Buffers

Organization: University of Nebraska Lincoln, National Agroforestry Center
Publication Link: http://www.unl.edu/nac/bufferguidelines/index.html

General Information on Riparian Forest Buffers.

Wisconsin Shoreland Restoration

Organization: University of Wisconsin Extension
Publication Link: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/shoreland/zone2.htm

Information on shoreland restoration.

Riparian Forest Buffers

Organization: Virginia Department of Forestry
Mission: Manages 17 state forests and other state lands totaling 47,899 acres.
Publication Link: http://www.dof.virginia.gov/index.shtml

Wooded buffer zones along streams, rivers, and the Bay can be classified as
riparian forests. Riparian forests differ from upland forests in their hydrology,
plant community, soils, and topography. Learn more: Riparian Forest Buffers
– Intro., Functions, and Common Plants Used.

Agricultural Landowner

Riparian Buffer

Organization: Blackland Research Water Quality Group
Mission: Currently working on Water Quality research projects to develop Best Management Practices to reduce atrazine, sedimentation and nutrient losses from Central Texas farm and ranchland.
Publication Link: http://waterhome.brc.tamus.edu/projects/riparian.html

Includes: Riparian Buffers for Agricultural Land; How to Design a Riparian
Buffer for Agricultural Land; A Riparian Buffer Design for Cropland.

Green Thumbs for Blue Water

Organization: Cayuga County Cooperative Extension
Publication Link: http://co.cayuga.ny.us/wqma/greenthumbs/index.html

Green Thumbs for Blue Water is an educational program for riparian and lakeshore
residents who are concerned about erosion and water quality. The program focuses
on the use of backyard buffers to minimize erosion and integrated pest management
techniques for maintaining healthy and environmentally-friendly lawns and landscapes.

Riparian Buffers: Common Sense Protection of North Carolina’s Water

Organization: Environmental Defense
Mission: A leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 400,000 members.
Publication Link: http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/2758_NCbuffers.pdf

North Carolina’s streams, rivers, estuaries and lakes are its most threatened
natural communities. The pollution comes not only from factories and sewage
treatment plants, but also from virtually every land-disturbing activity in
the state, including agriculture, development and even individual homeowners
fertilizing lawns.

Establishing Riparian Buffers

Organization: Kansas State University Research and Extension
Publication Link: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/forst2/mf2489.pdf

Landowners establish riparian buffers for a variety of reasons. Some want
to stop cropping the lowest, wettest end of the field because of the difficulty
planting and harvesting flood-prone areas.

Small Acreage Fact sheet # 5: Managing Streamside Areas with Buffers

Organization: Oregon Association of Conservation Districts
Publication Link: http://oregon.gov/ODA/SWCD/library_home.shtml keyword: streams/riparian.

Now we know that a good mix of trees, shrubs, and grasses next to the water
bring a wealth of benefits to the landowner and all who live downstream. Near
stream areas can provide flood and erosion control, wildlife habitat, and higher
property values. Read on to learn how to protect your environmental and real
estate investment.

Chester County Water Resources Authority

Organization: Pennsylvania Water Resources, Chester County
Publication Link: http://dsf.chesco.org/water/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=607379&waterNav=|

Resource Library: Throughout the year, the Chester County Water Resources
Authority prepares fact sheets, newsletter articles, and other materials which
we encourage municipalities, watershed associations, homeowners associations,
and others to use and reference in environmental education pieces.

Lake and Stream Corridor Owners’ Guide for Riparian Buffer Establishment: Water Quality Improvement, Wildlife Habitat and Stream Bank Stabilization

Organization: Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation & Development Council
Mission: Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation & Development Council
Publication Link: http://semircd.org/buffers/guide/intro.php use keyword: riparian buffers.

This guide was produced as part of a Section 319, Federal Clean Water Act
grant awarded to the Southeast Michigan RC&D Council by the Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency
Publication Link: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=landing

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program for agricultural
landowners. Through CRP, you can receive annual rental payments and cost-share
assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland.

Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Benefits to Communities and Landowners

Organization: Virginia Polytechnique Institute and State University
Publication Link: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-153/420-153.html

Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Benefits to Communities
and Landowners: Author: Julia C. Klapproth, Faculty Assistant-Natural Resources,
Maryland Cooperative Extension; James E. Johnson, Extension Forestry Specialist,
College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech; Publication Number 420-156, Posted
January 2002.

Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Resources for Virginia Landowners

Organization: Virginia Polytechnique Institute and State University
Publication Link: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-156/420-156.html

Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Resources for Virginia
Landowners; Author: Julia C. Klapproth, Faculty Assistant-Natural Resources,
Maryland Cooperative Extension; James E. Johnson, Extension Forestry Specialist,
College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech; Publication Number 420-156, Posted
January 2002.

Riparian Buffer Publications

Organization: Potomac River Basin
Mission: The Potomac River Basin stretches across parts of four states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia) as well as the District of Columbia. This area is also called the Potomac Watershed. It includes all of the land area where water drains towards the mouth of the Potomac – the point where the river spills into the Chesapeake Bay.
Publication Link: http://www.potomacriver.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122&Itemid=95

6 publications about Riparian Buffers.

Federal Agencies

Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society

Organization: Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society
Mission: “Cows and Fish” is striving to foster a better understanding on how improvements in grazing management on riparian areas can enhance landscape health and productivity, for the benefit of cattle producers and others who use and value riparian areas.
Publication Link: http://www.cowsandfish.org/

How is the Cows and Fish program valuable to cattle producers? We: Work with
producers & communities on riparian health and management; Provide an opportunity
to help producers and communities present a proactive approach as good stewards
of the land; Assist in building community-based and producer driven groups
to address local riparian issues.

Baseline Development and Estimation of Carbon Benefits for Extending Forested Riparian Buffer Zones In Two Regions In California: Blodgett Forest Research Station and Jackson State Demonstration Forest

Organization: California Energy Commission
Publication Link: http://www.energy.ca.gov/pier/project_reports/500-04-071.html

A measurement and monitoring activity was carried out to assess the relative
biomass carbon storage potential of extending forested buffer zones by 200
feet (100 feet either side of existing regulations) at two study sites representing
key timber production regions in California: Sierran mixed conifers at Blodgett
Forest Research Station (BFRS) in the Sierra Nevadas and coastal redwoods at
Jackson Demonstration State Forest (JDSF).

Riparian Buffer Publications

Organization: Chesapeake Bay Program
Publication Link: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/search/pub_action.cfm?SubjectCriteria=forest%20buffer&STARTROW=1&MAXROWS=10&SEARCH_TYPE=ALL&BOOLEANOP=PHRASE

33 publications about Riparian Buffers.

Information & Education: Connecticut River

Organization: Connecticut River Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire
Mission: Home to a remarkable partnership among the governments in the two states, businesses, farmers, conservationists, and other citizens from many walks of life.
Publication Link: http://www.crjc.org/riparianbuffers.htm

Links and publications about the Upper Connecticut River and its watershed.

Delaware Riparian Projects

Organization: Delaware
Publication Link: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/info/ELibrary.htm

Includes: Delaware’s Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Plan; Delaware’s Riparian
Buffers; Delaware Riparian Buffer Initiative -Workshop Summary.

BLM Density Management and Riparian Buffer Study

Organization: Density Management and Riparian Buffer Study
Mission: A collaborative effort among the Bureau of Land Management , Pacific Northwest Research Station , US Geological Society, and Oregon State University to develop and test options for young stand management to create and maintain late-successional forest characteristics in western Oregon.
Publication Link: http://ocid.nacse.org/nbii/density/pubs.html

Nonpoint Source (NPS) OutreachToolbox

Organization: EPA
The toolbox is intended for use by state and local agencies and other organizations interested in educating the public on nonpoint source pollution or stormwater runoff. The Toolbox contains a variety of resources to help develop an effective and targeted outreach campaign.
Publication Link http://www.epa.gov/nps/toolbox/

Publications related to riparian buffers.

Water Policy Working Paper Series, Working Papers (2001)

Organization: Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center
Publication Link: http://www.h2opolicycenter.org/research.shtml

Paper #2001-004: Water Quality Protection and the Cost-effective Targeting
of Riparian Buffers in Georgia, Paul J. Ferraro, December 2001; Paper #2001-005:
Cost-effective Targeting of Riparian Buffers in Georgia when Water Quality
Benefits are Difficult to Measure, Paul J. Ferraro, December 2001.

Riparian Buffer Publications

Organization: Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil and Erosion Control
Publication Link: http://www.glc.org/basin/pubs/index.html

Several publication about lakes and buffer zones.

Summary of the Streamside Science

Organization: Healthy Portland Streams
Publication Link: http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=54273

Describes the development and content of the Streamside Science and Inventory
of Significant Riparian and Wetland Resources Discussion Draft.

Forested Riparian Buffer

Organization: Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Publication Link: http://www.iowadnr.com/forestry/riparian.html

Forested riparian buffer strips of perennial vegetation contribute to sustainable
agriculture by reducing soil loss, improving water quality, and stabilizing
stream banks. Buffer strips of trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses improve aesthetics
and wildlife habitat. Forested buffer strips also make good financial sense
if they are installed through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Riverside Lands, Maine

Organization: Maine Rivers
Mission: Begun in 1998 as a project of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, became an independent organization in the spring of 2003.
Publication Link: http://www.mainerivers.org/riparian.htm

One of the most effective ways to protect rivers is to preserve the lands
adjacent to them. These crucial riverside lands are known to ecologists as “riparian
buffer zones,” which buffer the waterway from various substances that might
otherwise wash directly into the river.

Riparian Forest Buffers

Organization: Maryland Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources
Publication Link: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/publications/buffers.html

Riparian Forest Buffers: Function and Design for Protection and Enhancement
of Water Resources; Streamside forests are complex ecosystems vital to the
protection of our streams and rivers.

River Sources and Publications

Organization: Massachusetts Riverway Program
Mission: To promote the restoration and protection of the ecological integrity of the Commonwealth’s watersheds.
Publication Link: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/resources/riverfactsheets.htm

Riparian Area Information and Fact Sheets: Selected Internet Resources for
Riparian Areas and Vegetated Buffers; Native Species for Riparian Areas; Fact
Sheets: Functions and Values of Riparian Areas.

Buffer Notes Newsletter

Organization: National Association of Conservation Districts
Mission: Formed in 1946 by districts and their state associations.
Publication Link: http://www.nacdnet.org/buffers/

Buffer Notes currently reaches about 9,100 conservation partners across the
nation in a monthly newsletter and thousands more on the web. The newsletter
mailing list includes about 3,000 conservation districts, virtually all local
USDA service centers, state and national partners and policymakers, media and
nongovernmental agencies.

Stream Restoration: A Natural Channel Design Guidebook

Organization: North Carolina Stream Restoration Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant
Publication Link: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/wqg/sri/stream_rest_guidebook/sr_guidebook.pdf

Vegetation Stabilization and Riparian-Buffer Re-establishment: A combination
of planting methods improves the chances for successfully fulfilling the restoration
objectives of bank stabilization, flood attenuation and habitat enhancement.
Appendix F lists appropriate species from the three physiographic regions of
North Carolina to incorporate into restoration plans.

Taking Stock of Riparian Forest Cover, GIS Streamlines Inventory of Riparian Forest Buffers in Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Organization: Pennsylvania State University, RGIS–Chesapeake Penn State
Publication Link: http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/CASDEPT/AGRONOMY/lal/publications/publicationDocuments/riparian.pdf

Their geographic information systems (GIS) approach used existing data readily
available from federal and state agencies. The goal was to produce information
useful for broad-scale targeting and decision-making policy and to provide
a watershed-scale assessment of riparian forest buffer status.

Technical Factors for Riparian Buffer Implementation Through Local Ordinances; by Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells and Thomas J. Denbo

Organization: River Network
Mission: A national non-profit organization, offers consulting, publications, trainings and small grants to help people raise money, build organizations, and monitor and protect rivers and watersheds.
Publication Link: http://www.rivernetwork.org/library/index.cfm?doc_id=159

Introduces two components in developing a successful riparian buffer program:
collection of data to document the functions and benefits of riparian buffers,
and technical considerations when drafting a riparian buffer ordinance.

Restoring NJ Riparian Forest Buffers

Organization: Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Mission: Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Publication Link: http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/njriparianforestbuffers/index.htm

Projects and resources related to New Jersey Riparian Buffers.

Realizing the Promise of Conservation Buffer (2001)

Organization: Soil and Water Conservation Society
Mission: Soil and Water Conservation Society (2001)
Publication Link: http://www.swcs.org/en/publications/realizing_the_promise_of_buffer_technology/

National Conservation Buffer Workshop, 2001, to create an agenda for action that would further the use of conservation buffer technology and help the USDA to achieve its goal of assisting farmers and ranchers.

Sustainability in the Yaqui Valley, in Sonora, Mexico

Organization: Stanford University, Center for Environmental Science and Policy, Stanford Institute for International Studies
Publication Link: http://yaquivalley.stanford.edu/publications

This project brings together the specialists needed to both develop fundamental
understanding and explore management and policy alternatives that could increase
human welfare and minimize resource and environmental risks in the Yaqui Basin.
It provides some publications about the impacts of crop field.

Maryland Manual

Organization: University of Maryland, Maryland Cooperative Extension
Publication Link: http://www.riparianbuffers.umd.edu/manual.html

In 1997-1998, Maryland Cooperative Extension conducted a series of two-day
workshops on riparian buffer systems. These workshops included information
on stream assessment, groundwater hydrology, nutrient cycling, plant and animal
communities, and riparian restoration.

Database of the United States Department of Agriculture

Organization: US Department of Agriculture
Publication Link: http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/dbases.shtml

This page contains links to online databases that may be related to water
and agriculture. These databases contain such information as bibliographic
citations, current research, stream flow data, species information, and chemical
and toxicology data.

Riparian Buffer Research

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
Publication Link: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/projects/projects.htm?ACCN_NO=404154&showpubs=true

Research publications related to riparian buffers.

Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators (2003) by Ralph Heimlich

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
Publication Link: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/arei/ah722/

This report identifies trends in land, water, and biological resources and
commercial input use, reports on the condition of natural resources used in
the agricultural sector, and describes and assesses public policies that affect
conservation and environmental quality in agriculture. Combining data and information,
this report examines the complex connections among farming practices, conservation,
and the environment, which are increasingly important components in US agriculture
and farm policy. The report also examines the economic factors that affect
resource use and estimates costs and benefits to farmers, consumers, and the
government of meeting conservation and environmental goals.

Watershed Program

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Northeastern Area
Publication Link: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/watershed/

Promoting watershed health through the conservation, restoration and stewardship
of trees and forests. The Watershed Program: Provides ongoing technical support
to NA, NAASF, and the NA State Foresters; Coordinates large-scale watershed
partnerships and initiatives; Provides support and oversight of targeted Watershed
and Clean Water Action Grants; Advance watershed science and implement regional
projects which further NA goals.

Riparian Forest Buffers: Function and Design for Protection and Enhancement of Water Resources, by David J. Welsch

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Area
Mission: A unit of the USDA Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry Branch that encourages and supports sustainable forestry in the Northeast and Midwest.
Publication Link: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/n_resource/buffer/cover.htm

Streamside forests are crucial to the protection and enhancement of the water
resources of the Eastern United States. They are extremely complex ecosystems
that help provide optimum food and habitat for stream communities as well as
being useful in mitigating or controlling nonpoint source pollution (NPS).

Aberdeen Plant Materials Center

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mission: Originally called the Soil Conservation Service, has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America’s private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water, and other natural resources.
Publication Link: http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/idpmc/publications.html#PU

Publications from the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center.

Buffer Strips: Common Sense Conservation

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mission: Originally called the Soil Conservation Service, has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America’s private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water, and other natural resources.
Publication Link: http://www.woodstockconservation.org/buffer_strips.htm

Woodstock Conservation Commission gleanings from NRCS document

Stream Corridor Restoration

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Federal Interagency Stream Corridor Restoration Working Group
Publication Link: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/stream_restoration/newtofc.htm

This document is a result of an unprecedented cooperative effort among fifteen
Federal agencies and partners to produce a common reference on stream corridor
restoration.

National Management Measures to Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas for the Abatement of Nonpoint Source Pollution

Organization: US EPA
Publication Link: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/wetmeasures/

Background of the Management Measures to protect and restore wetlands and
riparian areas.

Watershed Stewardship in the Northeastern Area: A Program Overview

Organization: US Forest Service
Mission: Established in 1905 and is an agency of the US Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service manages public lands in national forests and grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres.
Publication Link: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/texis.exe/Webinator/search?pr=default&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&sufs=0&query=watershed+stewardship&submit=Search

Trees and forests are critical to the health and proper function of watersheds, and clean water is one of our most important forest products. One focus of the Forest Service Natural Resource Agenda endorses maintaining and restoring watershed health as the foundation for management of the nation’s forests.

Agency of Natural Resources: Riparian Buffer Guidance

Organization: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Publication Link: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/site/html/buff/anrbuffer2005.htm

The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has adopted the revised Riparian Buffer
Guidance (12/09/05) and has issued associated Riparian Buffers and Corridors
Technical Papers. These documents and other related information can be requested
from the address provided below or found on this web page.

Values of Riparian Buffers

Organization: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Publication Link: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/rivers/docs/rv_riparianvalues.pdf

Protection, management and restoration of riparian corridors need not be perceived
as a threat to landowner rights and opportunities, nor as a needless constraint
on community growth and economic development, nor as a burden on the mission
of state agencies.

Riparian Areas: Functions and Strategies for Management (2002), National Academies Press

Publication Link: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10327
Online book.

Professional Land Managers and Planners

Riparian Buffer Publications and Events

Organization: Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia
Mission: Addresses the impact of land use upon the water that feed the Chesapeake Bay.
Publication Link: http://www.cblad.virginia.gov/news_events_publications.cfm

Events and publications related to riparian buffers.

Science Insights: The space between Lying at the edge of land and water, riparian habitats play a crucial role in the ecosystem; by Peter H. Taylor

Organization: Gulf of Maine Times
Mission: A project of the Gulf of Maine Council’s Public Education and Participation Committee, made possible through support of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Publication Link: http://www.gulfofmaine.org/times/fall2002/science_insights.html

A raindrop hits a farmer’s field on a hillside in New Brunswick, seeps into
the ground, and begins a downhill journey toward a brook. Pesticides and fertilizers
in the soil dissolve and hitch a ride along the way. As it nears the stream,
however, the water percolates through a natural habitat called a riparian zone,
which acts as a filter and removes the chemicals.

Buffer Strip Design, Establishment, and Maintenance

Organization: Iowa State University Extension
Mission: Builds partnerships and provides research-based learning opportunities to improve quality of life in Iowa.
Publication Link: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1626B.pdf

This publication will discuss how to design, plant, and maintain a multi-species
buffer strip, which is an important part of the riparian, or river, ecosystem.
Techniques recommended in this publication are being studied at Iowa State
University and Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture demonstration plots
in central and northern Iowa.

Riparian Buffer Publications

Organization: Iowa State University Extension
Mission: Builds partnerships and provides research-based learning opportunities to improve quality of life in Iowa.
Publication Link: http://www.buffer.forestry.iastate.edu/HTML/Extension.html

11 publications related to riparian zones.

Riparian Buffer Publications

Organization: Iowa State University Extension
Mission: Builds partnerships and provides research-based learning opportunities to improve quality of life in Iowa.
Publication Link: http://www.buffer.forestry.iastate.edu/Research/HTML/abstracts.htm

13 abstracts related to riparian zones.

Riparian Management System

Organization: Iowa State University, Crop Adviser Institute
Publication Link: http://www.cai.iastate.edu/modules/module.aspx?modID=18

This module will identify ecological concerns of agriculture and watersheds,
identify parts of riparian management systems including filter and buffer strips,
and illustrate best management practices to reduce negative impacts of agriculture
on water quality.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Various Riparian Buffer Vegetation Types

Organization: Kansas State University Research and Extension
Publication Link: www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/forst2/srl137.pdf

Re-establishing riparian buffers along streams may reduce flood damage & streambank erosion, improve wildlife habitat, & filter pollutants, such as nutrients,pesticides, bacteria, & sediments.

Riparian Buffers in Forest Management: Establishment, Effectiveness and Recommendations

Organization: North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, Forest Management and Development Section
PublicationLink: www.dfr.state.nc.us/…/Riparian%20Buffers%20Forest%20Mgmt_WP.pdf

General Information on Riparian Forest Buffers.

Riparian Buffers and Controlled Drainage to Reduce Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution; Soil Facts Agricultural Riparian Buffers

Organization: North Carolina State University, Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Soil Science
Publication Link: www.soil.ncsu.edu/lockers/Osmond_D/web/RiparianBuffers.pdf

Riparian Buffers and Controlled Drainage to Reduce Agricultural Nonpoint Source

Pollution (2002); Soil Facts Agricultural Riparian Buffers (2002).

Riparian Buffers for Wildlife

Organization: Pennsylvania State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension
Publication Link: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uh165.pdf

Benefits of Riparian Buffers: Riparian buffers offer many benefits for wildlife;
but they also improve water quality for humans. In general, the wider and more
diversely planted the buffer, the more likely it is to yield positive benefits.

Agroforestry Practices: Riparian Forest Buffers

Organization: University of Missouri, Center for Agroforestry
Mission: Conservation Planning Atlas (Midwest Version): This work is part of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary effort to develop a scientific basis for planning agroforestry buffers.
Publication Link: http://www.unl.edu/nac/conservation/atlas/index.html

Riparian Buffer Success Story: Ron Risdal – Corn soybean and alfalfa producer,
Story County, Iowa. Established a riparian buffer in 1990; Decorative Woody
Florals: Income Potential from Riparian Buffers.

Riparian Buffers for Conservation

Organization: University of Nebraska Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska School of Natural Resources, and University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
Publication Link: www.unl.edu/nac/bufferguidelines/docs/conservation_buffers.pdf

This site contains information and links related to the many types of riparianbuffers, including grass filter strips and riparian forest buffers.

Riparian Buffer Systems in Crop and Rangelands; Agroforestry and Sustainable Systems: Symposium Proceedings (Aug 1994) by Richard C. Schultz, Thomas M. Isenhart and Joe P. Colletti

Organization: University of Nebraska Lincoln
Publication Link: http://www.unl.edu/nac/aug94/rip-crop.html

Riparian zones are generally resilient because of their moist, moderate and
fertile environments. With proper management, this resiliency can be sustained.
Proper management should include construction or restoration of multi-species
buffer strips and deferred or rotational grazing or exclusion of livestock.
Several riparian zone restoration and management strategies are discussed.

Design Recommendations for Riparian Corridors and Vegetated Buffer Strips; by Richard A. Fischer and J. Craig Fischenich, US Army Engineer Research (Apr 2000)

Organization: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory
Publication Link: http://www.dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/dsfm/shore/documents/sr24.pdf

Riparian zones typically comprise a small percentage of the landscape, often
less than 1 percent, yet they frequently harbor a disproportionately high number
of wildlife species and perform a disparate number of ecological functions
when compared to most upland habitats. Riparian zones have been widely recognized
as functionally unique and dynamic ecosystems only within the past 25 years.
Table 1. Recommended Widths of Buffer Zones and Corridors for Water Quality;
Table 2. Recommended Widths of Corridors and Vegetated Buffer Strips for Vegetation, Reptiles and Amphibians, Mammals, Fish, and Invertebrates, Table 3. Recommended Minimum Widths of Riparian Buffer Strips and Corridors for Birds.

Chesapeake Bay Riparian Handbook: A Guide for Establishing and Maintaining Riparian Forest Buffers (Jun 1998)

Organization: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Area
Mission: State & Private Forestry, Natural Resources, Conservation Service, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
Publication Link: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/pubs/subcommittee/nsc/forest/handbook.htm

The purpose of this handbook is to provide professional land managers and
planners with the latest information on the functions, design, establishment,
and management of riparian forest buffers.

Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Planning, Establishment, and Maintenance

Organization: Virginia Polytechnique Institute and State University
Publication Link: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-155/420-155.html

Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Planning, Establishment,
and Maintenance; Author: Julia C. Klapproth, Faculty Assistant-Natural Resources,
Maryland Cooperative Extension; James E. Johnson, Extension Forestry Specialist,
College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech.

Riparian Forest Buffer Survival and Success in Maryland

Publication Link: http://dnrweb.dnr.state.md.us/download/forests/rfb_survival.pdf

In order to determine the survival and success of planted riparian forest
buffers in Maryland 130 randomly selected sites, 1 to 3 yrs. of age, were measured.
Data were collected using 1/100th acre plots with a random-start systematic
line-plot cruise at an overall average 3.3% sample intensity.

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