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.
Protecting and restoring riparian forests is one of the goals of the Bay restoration effort. Riparian forest buffers are areas of trees, usually accompanied by shrubs and other vegetation, that are adjacent to a body of water which are managed to maintain the integrity of stream channels and shorelines, to reduce the impact of upland sources of pollution by trapping, filtering, and converting sediments, nutrients, and other chemicals, and to supply food, cover, and thermal protection to fish and other wildlife. The concept behind a riparian buffer is to put the natural benefits and functions of riparian areas to work in non-point source pollution control. When considering the range of benefits provided and potential effectiveness, forests are the most effective type of riparian buffer available. These linear strips of forest serve as a stream's last line of defense against the activities we undertake in managing the land, such as agriculture, grazing, and urban development.