Riparian Buffer
alternative practice names:
Forested Buffer; Grassed Buffer; Streamside Forests
Riparian buffers are vegetated areas, typically consisting of trees, shrubs, and grasses, situated along the edges of water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and country drains. These buffers are designed to protect water quality by filtering out pollutants, stabilizing stream banks, and providing habitat for wildlife.
Riparian buffers can be categorized into different types based on their vegetation and management practices, each providing unique ecosystem services:
Harvestable buffers: These are riparian buffers where certain crops or biomass can be periodically harvested for forage without compromising the buffer's primary function of protecting water quality and preventing erosion.
Grass buffers: These buffers, which are mainly composed of grasses and herbaceous plants, effectively filter sediments and nutrients from runoff, providing a simple and low-maintenance option for erosion control.
Forested buffers: These buffers are densely planted with trees and shrubs, offering long-term stability for stream banks, enhancing wildlife habitat, and improving water quality through filtration and shading.
The ecosystem services provided by riparian buffers vary significantly based on factors like width, species composition, and maturity.
When used, in what regions in the U.S. is the practice found:
Northwest, Upper Midwest, Northeast, Southwest
FARM SIZE
When used, typically found on farms of the following sizes:
All Sizes
Practice Benefits
Biodiversity enhancement: Provides habitat for wildlife, supporting biodiversity on the farm.
Aesthetic and recreational value: Enhances the visual appeal of the landscape and can offer recreational opportunities.
Implementation Insights
Site-specific or Farm-specific requirements
Ideal location: Riparian buffers are ideal for areas adjacent to surface water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and country drains, particularly in regions prone to erosion.
Required Capital Expenditures (CapEx)
Site preparation: Invasive plants need to be removed either through spot spraying or manual removal, with a plan for ongoing control before buffer establishment. If the site has sufficient ground cover, such as pasture, a pre-planting mow is recommended. For bare ground, farms may need to establish a non-aggressive ground cover before planting.
Trees, shrubs, and grasses: When selecting plant materials for riparian buffers, it is beneficial to choose native trees and shrubs that are well-adapted to the region's riparian zones. Incorporating a mix of fast-growing pioneer species alongside slower-growing trees like oaks can help establish the buffer more quickly. Grasses and harvested buffers can be established fairly easily using a grain drill; drills will need a native seedbox or a small seed box to plant native grass seeds.
Tree/plant protection: Tree shelters/tubes protect foliage and vegetation from deer, rodents, and other environmental factors. Bird nets on the tops of the tree shelter can help prevent bird mortality in tubes. For shrubs, wire cages, fencing, or modified shelter use can be effective with adjustments over time for multi-stem growth. Stone mulch, applied as a ring of gravel around shelters, is a useful measure for rodent protection and can offer lasting benefits.
Labor: Hiring contractors or laborers to plant and install the buffer increases installation costs.
Streambank fencing: When buffers are established in existing pastures, farmers need to install streambank fencing to prevent livestock from entering the buffer.
Required Operational Expenditures (OpEx)
Invasive species management: Maintaining riparian buffers requires active control of invasive species and competing vegetation to ensure that desired tree species establish successfully. Farmers need to regularly mow or manage grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation to prevent them from overtaking young trees. Invasive species can outcompete native plants, reducing the buffer's effectiveness. Consistent control measures, such as targeted mowing or herbicide applications, are necessary to maintain the buffer's ecological health and promote the growth of desirable plant species.
Tree and shrub protection and replanting: Protecting newly planted trees and shrubs from animal damage is critical for the long-term success of riparian buffers. Rodents like voles can girdle trees by eating the bark in winter, while deer can cause significant damage by browsing on young trees. Regular monitoring is essential to identify damage early, and replanting may be required to ensure an adequate number of trees establish and survive.
Fence maintenance and repairs: Streambank fencing, particularly in areas prone to flooding, can suffer damage during high-water events. Regular inspection and repair of fences are necessary to maintain their integrity and effectiveness. For electric fences, vegetation such as tall grasses or shrubs may need to be trimmed or removed to prevent interference with the electrical current, ensuring the fence remains functional.
Implementation Considerations
Land commitment: Establishing riparian buffers often requires taking land out of production, which can reduce the available acreage for crops or pastures. Additionally, as the trees in the forested buffer mature, they may cast shade on adjacent cropland or hayfields, potentially reducing their productivity.
Wildlife: Riparian buffers attract wildlife that may cause significant damage to surrounding cropland. For example, deer and bears can cause significant crop damage to farms and even farm infrastructure. Effective wildlife management strategies, such as fencing or deterrents, may be needed to protect nearby agricultural areas from damage while still maintaining the ecological benefits of the riparian buffer.
Financial Considerations and Revenue Streams
FEDERAL COST-SHARE PROGRAM
Funding is available for this practice through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
Related EQIP Practice Standard: Riparian Forest Buffer (391), Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390).
Related CSP Enhancements: Increase riparian herbaceous cover width for sediment and nutrient reduction (E390A), Increase riparian herbaceous cover width to enhance wildlife habitat (E390B), Increase riparian forest buffer width for sediment and nutrient reduction (E391A), Increase stream shading for stream temperature reduction (E391B), Increase riparian forest buffer width to enhance wildlife habitat (E391C).
Notes:
Check with the local NRCS office on payment rates and practice requirements relevant to your location.
FEDERAL CONSERVATION FUNDING
Funding is available for this practice through USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Related CRP Practice Standard: Riparian Buffers (CP22).
Notes:
Check with the local FSA office regarding CRP signup periods and conservation pactice requirements.
CRP provides 10-15 year rental payments, cost share for practice establishment and additional incentives.
Environmental Impacts
SEQUESTERS CARBON BUT MAY NOT REDUCE FARM GREENHOUSE FOOTPRINT
The vegetation in riparian buffers captures and stores carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While riparian buffers are effective in sequestering carbon, the carbon captured by these vegetative buffers is typically not counted toward a farm's greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint reduction under current GHG accounting protocols.
IMPROVES WATER QUALITY
Riparian buffers play a crucial role in enhancing water quality by intercepting and filtering surface runoff before it reaches streams, rivers, and other water bodies. Soluble pollutants are primarily reduced through infiltration and biological assimilation or degradation, while sediment-bound pollutants are removed by sediment trapping. In addition, trees, shrubs, and grasses in riparian buffers protect and stabilize riverbanks, reducing erosion and sediment loss (Rood et al., 2014). The shade from trees lowers stream water temperatures. The deep roots of vegetation strengthen the soil matrix, increase porosity, and enhance infiltration and water retention, which allows trees to recover nutrients leached below the rooting zone of herbaceous plants (Dosskey et al., 2010; Roberts et al., 2012; Thomas and Nisbet, 2007).
SUPPORTS BIODIVERSITY
Riparian buffers provide vital habitats for a range of wildlife, supporting both land and water species by creating movement corridors and nesting areas. Though their impact on increasing plant diversity is debated, unmanaged buffers often develop diverse vegetation structures, which benefit invertebrates, pollinators, and predatory arthropods. Riparian woodlands are particularly beneficial, offering habitats for woodland species, improving connectivity, and providing shade and shelter that help moderate climate extremes (Boutin et al., 2003; Cole et al., 2015).
REFerences
Alignment with FARM Program
FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) V2-V3 Alignment
The optional FARM ES Conservation Practice Questionnaire (CPQ) asks about conservation practices implemented, including riparian buffers.
Contents
We're always eager to update the website with the latest research, implementation insights, financial case studies, and emerging practices. Use the link above to share your insights.
We're always eager to update the website with the latest research, implementation insights, financial case studies, and emerging practices. Use the link above to share your insights.
Riparian buffers are vegetated areas, typically consisting of trees, shrubs, and grasses, situated along the edges of water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and country drains. These buffers are designed to protect water quality by filtering out pollutants, stabilizing stream banks, and providing habitat for wildlife.
Riparian buffers can be categorized into different types based on their vegetation and management practices, each providing unique ecosystem services:
Harvestable buffers: These are riparian buffers where certain crops or biomass can be periodically harvested for forage without compromising the buffer's primary function of protecting water quality and preventing erosion.
Grass buffers: These buffers, which are mainly composed of grasses and herbaceous plants, effectively filter sediments and nutrients from runoff, providing a simple and low-maintenance option for erosion control.
Forested buffers: These buffers are densely planted with trees and shrubs, offering long-term stability for stream banks, enhancing wildlife habitat, and improving water quality through filtration and shading.
The ecosystem services provided by riparian buffers vary significantly based on factors like width, species composition, and maturity.
Practices and technologies
Riparian Buffer
alternative practice name:
Forested Buffer; Grassed Buffer; Streamside Forests