Riparian Restoration to Promote Climate Change Resilience Research Update
This video presentation by Jason Coombs of the U.S. Forest Services provides an overview to an innovative riparian planting and restoration decision support tool. The tool, which is funded by the Appalachian LCC, allows managers and decision-makers to rapidly identify and prioritize areas along the banks of rivers, streams, and lakes for restoration, making these ecosystems more resilient to disturbance and future changes in climate. The tool works by identifying vulnerable stream and riverbanks that lack tree cover and shade in coldwater stream habitats. By locating the best spots to plant trees in riparian zones, resource managers can provide shade that limits the amount of solar radiation heating the water and reduces the impacts from climate change.