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What are forest buffers?

Forest buffers are the trees, shrubs and other plants that grow next to streams and rivers. Forest buffers are also called riparian forests or streamside forests.

Why are forest buffers important?

Forest buffers are critical to clean water: they prevent pollution from entering waterways and stabilize stream banks. Forest buffers are also vital to wildlife: they provide critters with food and habitat and shade streams to the benefit of sensitive aquatic species.

Forest buffers prevent pollution from entering waterways

Without forest buffers, polluted runoff from farms and developed areas would flow directly into rivers and streams. Forest buffers are a waterway’s last line of defense against pollution that washes off the land.

• Trees and shrubs slow the flow of stormwater runoff, trapping sediment and allowing polluted water to soak into the forest floor’s sponge-like soil.
• Plant roots absorb nutrient pollution and store it in plant leaves and limbs.

Forest buffers stabilize stream banks

The deep root systems of streamside trees and shrubs hold soil in place, stabilizing stream banks and reducing the amount of sand, silt and sediment that can wash into waterways. Forest buffers also protect those on land from rising floodwaters by deflecting heavy river flow during large storms.

Forest buffers provide food and habitat to wildlife

The trees, shrubs and other plants that make up forest buffers form layers of diverse habitats between land and water. More than half of the Chesapeake Bay region’s native species—including wood ducks, bald eagles, turtles and amphibians—depend on forest buffers for food, shelter and access to water at some point in their lives. Forest buffers also offer safe migration paths for wildlife, creating forest “corridors” that are critical to many species.

The leaf litter, seeds and other plant materials that forest buffers drop into the water form the foundation of the freshwater food chain, and fallen branches, logs and woody debris can create habitat for underwater critters. Insects, amphibians, crustaceans and small fish depend on this debris for food, shelter and spawning grounds. These small creatures serve as essential prey for larger species. Some small filter-feeders also process the excess pollution that is common in local waterways.

Forest buffers shade streams

In summer, the leafy canopies of forest buffers shade rivers and streams. This shade helps keep water temperatures cool and consistent. Without it, water temperatures would rise rapidly, fueling the growth of harmful algae blooms and stressing sensitive species. Brook trout, for instance, live in cool, clear water, and depend on the shade that forest buffers provide.

Cooler water can also hold more oxygen, which aquatic species need to survive.

Why are forest buffers being restored?

Because forest buffers can improve the health of local rivers and streams, forest buffer restoration is a critical part of cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.

Currently, an estimated 55 percent of the watershed’s 288,000 miles of stream banks and shorelines have forest buffers in place. But scientists have found that rivers and streams are not protected until 70 percent of their edges are buffered. Forest buffers have disappeared along many rivers and streams because of agriculture, development and other human activities.

Restoring forest buffers can be a cost-effective way to reduce pollution. Unlike some other conservation practices, the benefits of forest buffers increase over time as trees and shrubs grow and mature. And after their first few years in place, forest buffers need little maintenance.

How are forest buffers being restored?

Chesapeake Bay Program partners are working to restore and protect forest buffers across the watershed.

Although much progress has been made, plantings have slowed in recent years due to a number of factors, including a lack of resources, the high price of crop commodities and the tendency of the agricultural community to plant grass buffers rather than forested ones.

Setting forest buffer goals

Since 1996, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware have planted more than 8,200 miles of forest buffers along rivers and streams.

In 2003, Bay Program partners set a goal to restore 900 miles of riparian forests in the watershed each year. This goal was renewed in the 2007 Forest Conservation Initiative and the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which was signed by all six Bay states and the District. This goal has not been met since 2002.

The federal government is also working to accelerate forest buffer restoration. In the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order, federal agencies committed to restoring riparian forest buffers to 63 percent, or 181,440 miles, of the stream banks and shorelines in the watershed by 2025.

Offering incentives and education 

Some programs provide financial incentives to landowners who plant forest buffers on their properties. The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), for instance, pays agricultural landowners to plant and maintain forest buffers on their farms.

Outreach and education are also critical parts of forest buffer restoration. The U.S. Forest Service distributes forest buffer publications and reaches out to landowners in person and online.

New geo-spatial tools are also available to help target, monitor and map forest buffers across the watershed. These tools, along with local and state streamside forest policies, will ensure that forest buffer restoration and conservation remains effective.

Maintaining new forest buffers

Newly planted forest buffers must be maintained for trees and shrubs to have the best chance of survival. Pruning and weeding, for instance, can help forest buffers grow stronger, making them more resilient to invasive species and other threats and better able to capture polluted runoff.

Take Action

For Chesapeake Bay restoration to be a success, we all must do our part. Our everyday actions can have a big impact on the Bay. By making simple changes in our lives, each one of us can take part in restoring the Bay and its rivers for future generations to enjoy.

To support forest buffers in the Bay watershed, consider planting streamside trees and shrubs to create more wildlife habitat. You can also choose and use native plants to support the plants and animals that have adapted to this region.

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From Around the Web

• The State of Chesapeake Forests - U.S. Forest Service
• Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Effects on Water Quality - Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Forested Buffers: The Key to Clean Streams - Chesapeake Bay Foundation
• Chesapeake Bay Riparian Handbook: A Guide for Establishing and Maintaining Riparian Forest Buffers - U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Landowner Guide to Buffer Success - The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program