Riparian forests refer to the areas of forested land adjacent to a body of water, stream, river, marsh, or shoreline which form the transition between the aquatic and the terrestrial environment. Forests are the natural riparian vegetation in the Bay region. Although they comprise only about 5 percent - 10 percent of the land in the watershed, riparian areas play an extremely important role in maintaining the health of the Bay. The purpose of a riparian buffer is to help control non-point source pollution.
Forests are the most effective type of riparian buffer available.
These linear strips of treesserve as a stream's last line of defense against human activities such as agriculture, grazing, and urban development. Unlike most best management practices forest buffers improve habitat for wildlife and fish while improving water quality. Riparian buffers vary in character, effectiveness and size based on the environmental setting, proposed management, level of protection desired and landowner objectives. A three-zone buffer concept has been proposed to assist technical professionals and landowners with the planning and design of riparian forest buffers. The width of each zone is determined by site conditions and landowner objectives.