PROJECTS
Mount Holly
Vincentown
Pohatcong
Hackettstown

RESOURCES
Restoring Riparian
  Forest Buffers
Step by Step
  Restoration
Native Plants
Riparian Buffer Links

Riparian Forest Buffer Restoration
Step by Step

Restoring riparian forest buffers requires considerable thought and planning. The following step-by-step guidelines for riparian forest buffer projects are intended to assist landowners, organizations, and professionals in designing and implementing forest buffer projects.

Landowners

Getting Started

• Determine locations for planting
• Establish planting times (early spring or fall)
• Assess site - soil moisture, shade, flooding, space requirements

Deciding What to Plant

• Identify suitable native plants for your property
  • Survey native species in undisturbed riparian areas in the vicinity
    • use a tree and shrub guide to identify species
  • consult a nursery professional and/or request a catalog of available native species
  • Contact the local county office of Rutgers Cooperative Extension

• Select tree, shrub, and herbaceous species
  • What are the site conditions (soil, slope, aspect, drainage, etc.)?
  • What plant characteristics (flowers, foliage, fall color, flood/drought tolerance, etc.) are required and/or desired?

• Define boundaries and locations for plantings
  • Groupings of plants, including several of each species as in nature
  • Wildflower beds (if desired)
  • No-mowing areas along waterway

Ordering from Nurseries

• Determine how many of each plant species
• Tally species and numbers for nursery order(s)
• Call or fax nurseries to arrange pickup or delivery

Designing the Project

• Design a planting plan and place trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants in position
  • Site requirements
  • Plant characteristics
  • Appearance and compatibility with surroundings
  • Spacing - natural patterns, natural groupings, size at maturity
  • Alternately, design buffer to be planted in rows on an established spacing to facilitate planting and maintenance
• Experiment with the design and finalize the plan

Preparing the Site

Site preparation can be as simple as mowing and/or spot applications of herbicide, or as intensive as removing sod or plowing, discing, harrowing, rototilling and pre-digging holes. For information on preparing a specific site, contact the local county office of Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Planting the Site

• Plant and water
• Mulch for weed control, soil moisture and temperature
• Protect from deer (if applicable)

Long-Term Maintenance

• Create a long-term maintenance plan, including:
  • Weeding
  • Mulching
  • Irrigating
  • Mowing
  • Pruning
  • Wildlife damage monitoring
  • Maintaining devices protecting against wildlife damage

Mount Holly Department of Public Works- Ready for Volunteers

Organizations

• Establish site criteria (see site criteria section)
• Site search and selection
• Acquire funding
• Set planting dates
• Site assessment
• Establish work crew/volunteers/students

Deciding What to Plant

• Vegetation Study
  • Survey native species in nearby undisturbed riparian areas
  • Species, species locations, plant communities, patterns,
• Rank and categorize plant species
  • According to dominance, characteristics, and site requirements
• Produce project plant chart with plant species list, rankings, and categories
• Delineate and flag project boundaries
  • Buffer widths, herbaceous beds (if applicable), no-mowing areas adjacent to streams
• Divide project into sections (for large sites - design by section)
• Determine number of plants per section
• Determine plant species appropriate for each section
• Determine numbers of each species per section

  Herbaceous Plants
  If the buffer design includes herbaceous plants, then:
  

• Delineate and flag boundaries for beds of plants
• Cut and remove sod, and rototill beds
• Apply and incorporate peat moss
• Determine how many of each species per bed
• Plant and irrigate the beds
• Place gallon and quart containers, or plugs, in exact location for planting individual plants by volunteers
• Plant and irrigate these individual plants
• Mulch the plants
• Install devices to protect against wildlife damage, if necessary

Ordering from Nurseries

• Tally total species and numbers
• Locate nursersies/suppliers
  
• Sort plant orders by nursery
• Fax, mail or deliver orders (species and numbers) to native plant nurseries
• Arrange pick-up and/or delivery dates

Designing the Project

• Place color-coded flags where plants are to be located - one color for each species
• Select plant species location using the project plant chart and/or by:
  • Site condition
    • Soils and moisture
    • Shade/direct sunlight
    • Flood or drought tolerance
  • Plant communities
  • Characteristics of plant species
  • Spacing
    • Natural patterns
    • Species grouping
    • Anticipated canopy closure
  • Compatibility with surroundings
  • Landowner preferences

Preparing the Site
Site preparation can be as simple as mowing and/or spot applications of herbicide, or as intensive as removing sod or plowing, discing, harrowing, rototilling and pre-digging holes. For information on preparing a specific site, contact the local county office of Rutgers Cooperative Extension

• Confirm planting day(s) with work crew/volunteers/students
• Assemble tools for work crew/volunteers/students
  • Shovels, rakes, pick-axes, wheelbarrows, pitch forks
• Rent or borrow equipment (as necessary)
  • Mower
  • Rototiller
  • Auger
  • Sod-cutter
  • Tractor
  • Plow, Disc, Harrow
  • Backhoe
  • Skid-steer

Planting the Site

• Establish location for plant deliveries
• Shuttle plants to corresponding flag locations
• Plant trees and shrubs
  • Separate and remove turf and large rocks
  • Mulch for weed control, soil moisture, and temperature

• Create a long-term maintenance plan, including:
  • Weeding
  • Mulching
  • Irrigating
  • Mowing
  • Pruning
  • Wildlife damage monitoring
  • Maintaining devices protecting against wildlife damage
  • Maintaing trails
  • Maintaining fences
  • Removing undesired, woody and invasive species
• Secure commitments for long-term maintenance from group members and/or other local organizations

Recognition and Education (optional)

• Install signs
• Acknowledge volunteer groups
  • Reunion/party
  • Site tours
  • Photo exchanges
• Schedule educational programs
  • Curriculums
  • Site tours

Watering Newly-Planted Trees and Shrubs