Riparian Buffer Systems

Streams lined with trees, shrubs, grasses, and abundant wildlife contribute to more than a beautiful landscape. Restoration of the land's natural riparian buffer system can improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and build diversity that has been lost with modern land uses.

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• Overview

   

• Loss of riparian zones and water pollution

   

• Loss of riparian zones and soil and habitat loss

   

• Benefits of a healthy buffer system

   

• Ways to restore riparian buffers

   

• For more information | References

   

Research support on riparian buffer systems is from the USDA Forest Service-Northeast State & Private Forestry, the Leopold Centerfor Sustainable Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Prepared by Richard C. Schultz, Amy Kuehl, Joe P. Colletti, Paul Wray, and Tom Isenhart, ISU Department of Forestry; edited by Laura Miller, extension communications. Illustration by Dorothia Rohner and graphic design by Valerie King.

Pm-1626a | Reprinted April 1996
File: Forestry 5; Agronomy 8-1, and Environmental Quality 1-2

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. . .and justice for all The Iowa Cooperative Extension Service's programs and policies are consistent with pertinent federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination . Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Service work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nolan R. Hartwig, interim director, Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa.