Management of Pacific Northwest riparian forests is necessary because many of these forests have been dramatically changed from their original makeup. The primary interest in riparian forest and aquatic ecosystems under the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) is the need to restore stream habitat for fish populations, particularly Anadromous salmonids. The changes in the Pacific Northwest riparian forests have made most native salmon species endangered. Some of these forests have been grazed by cattle or other livestock. The heavy hooves of these animals compact the soil. This compaction doesn’t allow the water to be absorbed into the ground, so the water runs off into the stream carrying top soil along the way.
The simplification of the stream itself has also had negative effects. The large woody debris in the streams has been removed to allow for easy access to the stream and for better travel in the streams themselves. But the faster moving current erodes the stream banks filling the stream with more sediment. The removal of trees on the stream banks also leads to erosion and stream degradation. Another effect of the removal of trees is an increase in stream temperatures because the lack of shade. These changes to riparian forests can be fixed through three steps;
- Creation of riparian reserves
- Restoration of channel complexity
- Silviculture practices
These steps will help restore riparian forest ecosystems which will directly help the salmon populations.
Read more about Management Of Pacific Northwest Riparian Forests: Riparian Forest Restoration, Riparian Reserves, Channel Complexity Restoration, Silviculture Techniques
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