What is riparian buffer restoration?
Why do we need to do riparian buffer restoration in Fairfax County?
What are the benefits of riparian buffers?
Who can conduct riparian buffer restoration?
What is a riparian buffer?
A riparian buffer is land next to a stream or river that is
vegetated, usually with trees and shrubs, that serves as a protective
filter for streams. A riparian buffer protects water quality against
pollutants, enhances wildlife habitat, and helps stabilize stream banks
from washing away. Riparian buffers can be 300 feet wide or 30 feet wide;
it depends on the stream and the land around the stream.
Riparian buffers are a complex ecosystem that improve streams by
supplying food and habitat for fish and other wildlife, especially birds.
Scientists have shown that riparian buffers also improve the area around
the stream; parks that include riparian buffers are healthier and have
more wildlife than parks without riparian buffers. Buffers help protect
streams as a line of defense from the effects of urban growth by
stabilizing stream banks, reducing nonpoint source pollution, and
filtering out harmful nutrients and sediment.
What is riparian buffer
restoration?
Riparian buffer restoration is the process of restoring natural
function to the land. In Fairfax County, riparian buffer restoration
refers to restoring the land next to streams and rivers by planting
native vegetation in these areas. Riparian buffer restoration is a
complex process which draws on a huge toolbox from engineering and
biology that includes invasive plant removal, native plantings, stream
realignment, the selected use of stone or biologs, and much more.
Why do we need to do riparian buffer
restoration in Fairfax County?
Buffers provide many benefits to the community by protecting the
land and streams. Some of these benefits are flood control, storm damage
prevention, wildlife habitat, and fisheries protection. In many cases,
the riparian buffers that exist contain nonnative species that do not
provide the same benefits of native plant species. In other cases, trees
and shrubs no longer exist, exposing the stream to many threats.
Restoring riparian buffers is an integral component for maintaining the
high quality of life in Fairfax County. Water quality, stream bank
stability, habitat, and the overall quality of our streams all depend on
high quality riparian buffers.
What are the benefits of
riparian buffers?
Riparian buffers provide many benefits including the
following:
- Reduce flooding by slowing down the rain and snowmelt (stormwater runoff) that travel over the land, roads, sidewalks, and highways to streams.
- Protect streams and aquatic life by trapping debris that is carried in the rain and snowmelt that would otherwise reach streams and stress aquatic life.
- Prevent erosion of stream banks by holding soil in place.
- Improve water quality by enhancing the infiltration of pesticides, nutrients, pathogens, and sediment.
- Support aquatic life and biodiversity by providing a source of food and shade to reduce water temperature.
- Support a diverse array of wildlife including birds, otters, and foxes.
- Provide recreation and aesthetics for residents.
Who can conduct riparian buffer
restoration?
Anyone. Riparian buffer restoration can be a variety of actions from
stream cleanups that remove grass clippings and debris from stream banks
to community efforts to plant trees. Restoration can be in the form of
large scale programs that collaborate between the federal government,
state agencies and county agencies. Residents and businesses can restore
buffers and help protect nearby streams by planting native plants in
stream valleys and in their backyards. Fairfax County is working with
various organizations on an extensive project for buffer restoration
countywide to protect streams.
What are native
plants?
Native plants are species that occur naturally in an area or
habitat. Native species are also called indigenous species. Fairfax
County is using native plants for its riparian buffer restoration
project. Review a list of common riparian buffer
plants.
What are nonnative
plants?
Nonnative plants are species that do not occur historically in an
area or habitat. Nonnative species are often introduced by people
accidentally or on purpose, usually because they are aesthetically
pleasing. Some nonnative plant species can create problems when they
become invasive in natural areas. One study has estimated that invasive
nonnative species cost the United States more than $122 billion every
year.
Invasive nonnative trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and herbs can damage
our natural areas by out competing native plants for soil, water, and
light. Common nonnative, invasive species in Fairfax County include
Norway maple (Acer platanoides), a tree native to Europe; winged
burning bush (Euonymus alata), a European shrub; the east Asian
vines Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and porcelainberry
(Ampelopsis brevipedunculata); Japanese stiltgrass
(Microstegium vimineum); and garlic mustard (Alliaria
petiolata), a Eurasian herb. Review a list of invasive
nonnative (alien) plant species of Virginia and a list of plant invaders
of Mid-Atlantic natural areas.