Riparian forest habitat
From CollabLandWiki
Riparian Forest Habitat:
- Land adjacent to streams, rivers, marshes or shoreline
- Transition from wet land areas to urban use areas
- Trees are the most important feature to the Portland riparian areas
Benefits:
- Root systems store water and help reduce flooding
- Stabilize banks, and filter runoff before it reaches the water
- Fertilizers and pollutants get absorbed by the tree’s root system before they enter the water
- Provide canopy and shade
- Protects the water from reaching high temperatures
- Helps promote healthy aquatic life
Methods of Design:
Plant in a three zone format along adjacent land:
Zone 1 (closest to the water) - Plant large native trees
- Stabilize the banks and also provide canopy
Zone 2 - Plant a mixture of trees and shrubs
- Used as the main infiltration area
- Sediment runoff collection
- Long term storage of water
Zone 3 - Transition zone
- Small shrubs, native grasses and flowers
- Makes the transition from wet land to urban area
Stream Zone - Improving aquatic life
- Allowance for trees and woody debri to provide shelter and breeding spots for fish and other aquatic life
- Restoring stream dimensions using rock and log frames to deflect stream path
- Bring back the steelhead population
The most ideal tree species in the area include:
- Alder
- Douglas fir
- Big Leaf Maple
- Western Red Cedar
- Oregon Ash
- Black Cottonwood
- Dogwood and Willow species
Riparian Habitat Case Studies:
