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Abstract
As the chapters in this book demonstate, forested riparian areas provide many important functions and values, including wildlife habitat, recreation, water, timber production, and cultural resources. The high soil moisture and nutrient availability in these areas make them highly productive sites for plant and animal life, including trees, and this, coupled with the fact that many of these areas have gone unhavested due to difficult terrain and wet soil conditions, makes them a valuable source of wood products. Much of the current debate about riparian areas is focused on the level of timber harvesting that should occur within these areas. Riparian management areas are defined to recognize that management practices may need to be modified to protect and enhance the diverse functions and values of the riparian ecosystem. They are not intended to be zones of management exclusion, althoush the best prescription may be to exclude active management in some cases. Minimizing disturbance is the primary objective when developing strategies for timber harvesting operations in riparian areas. Limiting disturbance helps reduce the potential for erosion, and minimizes impacts on shade and other terrestrial and aquatic habitat factors.
Citation
Mattson, James A.; Baumgras, John E.; Blinn, Charles R.; Thompson, Michael A. 1999. Harvesting Options for Riparian Areas. In: Verry, Elon S.; Hornbeck, James W.; Dolloff, C. Andrew, eds. Riparian Management in Forests of the Continental Eastern United States. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press LLC: 255-272.
