•  View the PowerPoint Slides

Lead Authors: Drs. Gary Bentrup, Mike Dosskey, Michele Schoeneberger

Agroforestry riparian forest buffer systems can complement sustainable forest management by providing a set of tree-based conservation and production practices for agricultural lands. These buffer systems can help restore ecological functions at both the site and landscape levels and promote soil and water quality, biological diversity, wood and non-timber products, terrestrial carbon storage, biomass for energy, and an array of socioeconomic benefits.

Protective Functions:

• Soil erosion control
• Surface water quality
  
• In-stream aquatic habitats
• Stream banks and channel stabilization
• Reduce transport of non-point source pollutants from agricultural systems to streams
  
• Treat stormwater runoff from communities
  
• Restore ecological functions to watersheds
  

Biological Diversity

• Add structural and functional diversity to landscapes
• Increases landscape connectivity.
  
• Increases plant and animal biodiversity
  
• Provide stream habitat
  

Productive Functions:

• Harvestable wood products
• Biomass for energy
• Carbon storage
  
• Medicinals, ornamentals, and food products
  

Socioeconomic Benefits:

• Increases economic diversification
  
• Recreational (hunting, fishing, hiking, ..)
• Aesthetic
  
• Urban stormwater runoff management
• Cost/benefit
  

• Site level
  • Loss of viable native tree and shrub seeds
    
  • Species effectiveness for non-point-source pollution control
  • Riparian widths needed for various riparian functions
  • System linking upland and riparian buffers
• Watershed/Landcape level
  • Tools to prioritise efforts
  • Hydrologic changes impact on RFB restoration
  • Urban/rural linkages
    
  • Tools to evaluate landscape benefits
  • Benefits of connectivity between strategically placed riparian buffers and forested areas (e.g., bottomland hardwoods).