Riparian Wetlands

Floodplains, alluvial marshes, riverside seeps.

Riversides and floodplains are some of the most dynamic areas of the landscape. During spring runoff, submerged floodplains provide critical feeding and spawning areas for fish and other aquatic species. In drier seasons, the water recedes to reveal a myriad of geomorphic features, each with its own characteristic flora and fauna. Fresh silt deposits, scoured riverbanks, sand bars, alluvial meadows, depression marshes, oxbow lakes, braided stream channels and lush floodplain forests interact to form a complex system rich in biodiversity.
Intact riparian corridors and floodplains are linear features, averaging about 200 acres in the Northern Appalachians. They provide critical habitat for flood tolerant trees like silver maple, green ash, American elm and box elder as well as ideal conditions for many native ferns and herbs, such as ostrich fern, sensitive fern, wood nettle, tall meadow rue, jack-in-the-pulpit, riverbank grape and poison ivy. Wood turtles, fowler's toad, and many other frogs, turtles and salamanders depend on riparian systems, as do brook trout, salmon and other native fish.

Key recommendations for riparian systems

We recommend a minimum of 18% of all the intact riparian systems be protected for biodiversity in a network of 240 critical riparian systems.