Riaparian Buffers

We’ve been working hard to turn our lawns into natural areas, and while we were out there, we looked over at the wetlands adjoining our location in Salem, NJ. They weren’t entirely natural either; they lacked the transitional area between land and water, the riparian buffer, so we planted them. A riparian buffer is the overgrown area next to a stream or estuary. It stops erosion and sediment runoff, provides cover, and provides needed food and shade for the fish and animals.

With our friends at The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the 7th grade science class from Mannington Township School, over two hundred native shrubs and trees were planted alongside Mannington Mills Road and along Fenwick Creek behind the Pledger house. The plants included silky dogwood, red-twig dogwood, winterberry holly, nannyberry, eastern red cedar, black willow, arrow-wood and serviceberry. These two areas were a good start, but we’re working to do more to improve on the local ecosystems in all our locations.

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