A complex issue facing the forest industry is managing riparian areas. These sensitive areas surround streams and affect fish habitat in a number of ways.
Scientists disagree on the amount of riparian area required to maintain a healthy fish habitat.
A successful solution to riparian management balances habitat needs of fish with economic needs of landowners. The physical influences concern the structure provided by shrubs, grass, trees, and their root systems. This structure affects the shape of the stream channel, the temperature of the water, the amount of sediment reaching the stream, and the diversity of the habitat. The biological influences concern the flow of nutrients through the system. Nutrient use and input is based on the cycling of organic matter in the system, which involves such steps as the decay of vegetation, death of post-spawning fish, and the uptake of these nutrients by soil and aquatic insects.