Riparian ecosystems include the areas within the influence of rivers and streams. These areas are important links between land and water based ecologies.
Riparian zones are extremely important in providing habitat for many species of fish and wildlife.
Despite the importance of these areas, relatively few studies have examined the success of alternative management strategies for restoration or protection of the these valuable areas. This study was developed to look at a wide variety of approaches in different physical and biological states in order to compare their effectiveness in conserving and restoring aquatic and riparian ecoysystem functions. The Riparian Ecosystems Study will evaluate the effects of different management strategies by looking at past examples across a range of forest types, ages and ownerships. The study will identify sites with different buffer widths and stream sizes. The study will also look at sites in unmanaged watersheds with intact riparian zones.