Topic outline

  • Welcome

    This course contains 11 webinars organized by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR) on forested riparian buffers. Each Webinar is approximately 1 hour in length.

    • Recorded Webinars

      • SCORM packageEcology of Streams and Riparian Forests: How Streams Work and the Role of Forests

        Presented by David Wise, Stroud Water Research Center

        Trees play critical roles in making streams productive and healthy. Understanding how forests and water interact is critical to effective outreach and can transform the ways you look at land and water.

      • SCORM packageDo Hellbenders, Freshwater Mussels, and Native Brook Trout Matter?

        Presented by Eric Chapman, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

        Planting riparian forest buffers can benefit several important aquatic species. Using a top-down approach to planting, you can plan a buffer that yields the highest return on conservation investment.

      • SCORM packageSelling Buffers WITHOUT Financial Incentives

        Presented by Ryan Davis, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

        For decades, many thought the only way to plant riparian forest buffers was with rental payments. Join Ryan to hear his tips, tricks, and insight to getting more trees in the ground without financial incentives.

      • SCORM packageReforesting Shallowbrook School

        Presented by Jodi Sulpizio, Penn State Extension

        With partnership and passion, Northeastern School District is leading the way to reforest its riparian and lawn areas. Learn about reforestation efforts and how to best replicate this grassroots effort across the state

      • URLRiparian buffer of 2,000 trees coming to Northeastern School District

        Here is the link to the video mentioned in this webinar.

      • SCORM packagePre- and Post-Planting Vegetation Management for Establishment

        Presented by Art Gover, Penn State University

        Without proper interventions, exotic vegetation can run amuck in new riparian forests. For the most successful establishments, learn how to bookend your tree planting with vegetation management techniques.

      • SCORM packageRiparian Forest Buffers for Pollinators and Wildlife

        Presented by Ryan Davis, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

        Riparian forest buffers are essential not only for water quality, but also for wildlife and pollinator habitat. In our modern landscape which generally lacks high-quality habitat, establishing a riparian forest buffer is a fantastic way to boost populations of pollinators and other important fauna. Moreover, accommodating pollinators and other wildlife in a buffer is simple and only requires some forethought and management tweaks. Landowners are increasingly interested in doing their part to restore pollinator habitat, and this has become a top motivator for people to sign up for a riparian forest buffer. Join Ryan Davis to learn how to plan for and manage a buffer that is specifically targeted at benefiting pollinator and wildlife populations, and how to harness the interest in pollinator conservation to yield more buffers on the ground. 

      • FileRiparian Forest Buffers for Wildlife and Pollinators (PDF)

        Here is a PDF of Ryan's presentation. If the link does not work, check your internet browser's settings to ensure pop-ups are enabled.

      • SCORM packageGetting from Planning to Planted: Working with Contractors, Volunteers, and Nurseries

        Presented by Alysha Trexler, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

        Coordinating a riparian restoration project is more than just putting trees in the ground. Each planting project has its own set of challenges, and there are many things to coordinate and often months between the time of site identification and planting day. This session will offer tips and suggestions for how to best approach a riparian restoration project. Learn about tree selection and supply choices based on site conditions, how to coordinate volunteers or hire a contractor, the timing of when to place orders and when to plant. Plus, learn to estimate how much time it will take to plant a site.

      • SCORM packageFinding and Ranking Streamside Forest Planting Sites in Pennsylvania Using GIS

        Presented by Josh VanBrakle, DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation

        Where is a good place to plant streamside forests? The answer could be “just about anywhere.” But some streamside forests benefit water quality more than others. The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources partnered to locate and analyze potential streamside forest planting sites across the state. The result? A map of more than 200,000 possible planting opportunities, ranked by their potential to improve water quality. In this session, you’ll find out how the map was created and learn how it can help you select planting projects in your community.

      • SCORM package25 Years of Insights on Buffer Methods and Insights from Research on Methods

        Presented by Dave Wise, Stroud Water Research Center

        The first half of this presentation describes the current methods that Stroud Water Research Center uses for its forested buffer restoration projects, and the reasons underlying those choices of methods.  We use 5' vented tubes, treated oak or fiberglass stakes, container seedlings and contractors to do the installation.  More important than (and as costly as) good installation methods are the 4 years of post-planting care and regular status checks that make or break the success of plantings. The second half presents insights from Stroud's research on buffer methods including: center-hole net method, methods to reduce vole damage (including stone mulch in lieu of herbicide spots), use of pre-emergence herbicide INSIDE tree shelters to eliminate invasives, performance of tree tubes in our context - Tubex Combitube (vented), standard Tubex (not vented), Plantra syst em (vented), use of 4' tall fencing to protect clusters of multi-stem shrubs, examples of success in reed canary grass, multiflora rose and on legacy sediments and more.

      • SCORM packageThe Pittsburgh Redbud Project: An Urban Riparian Buffer

        Presented by Alicia Wehrle and Brian Crooks, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy; Frank Dawson, J. Frank Studios; and Jeff Bergman, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and TreeVitalize Pittsburgh

        Note: You may notice some lag while watching the recording. This occurred during the live webinar and is not due to any playback issues.

        The City of Pittsburgh rests along the banks of three major rivers and its shorelines encompass a vibrant network of riparian greenspaces. From Point State Park to the summit of Mt. Washington, residents and visitors alike are drawn to the allure of these urban waterways. An industrial legacy, exotic plant species, and economic development provide unique opportunities for riparian buffer restoration. The Pittsburgh Redbud Project is a community forestry initiative to increase urban riparian tree canopy while highlighting the ancillary cultural and aesthetic benefits. Since 2016, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has planted thousands of trees and complementary plant material within the viewshed of downtown Pittsburgh. Exotic plant species have been removed and replaced with native flowering trees. Swaths of sod have been transformed into planting beds and rain gardens. Tree seedlings have been rappelled down c liffs and others planted by boat. By cultivating partnerships with key property owners and engaging the public through numerous planting and maintenance events, the Redbud Project has created an attractive reminder to celebrate the beauty of urban riparian buffers.

      • SCORM packageLessons Learned from Long-term Monitoring of Forest Buffers

        Presented by Anne Hairston-Strang, Maryland Forest Service

        Over 30 riparian forest buffers in Maryland’s Piedmont and Ridge and Valley provinces were monitored from time of establishment to over 15 years, evaluating tree survival, growth, stream characteristics, temperature, and more. Most forest buffers at 15 years had adequate tree stocking and had developed a closed canopy, creating a changed microclimate for the stream. Invasive species will continue to be problematic and active management is needed. Buffers are one of multiple BMPs contributing to improved water quality seen in grab samples, and ecosystem values are likely to continue to increase for decades. Young buffers average higher infiltration rates than adjacent agricultural areas, an advantage for expected filtering function. Instream stability and benthic macroinvertebrates are variable, particularly with recent hydrology. The 15-year-old buffers are preventing the downstream warming seen earlier in unshaded streams, and moderating temperatures within ranges critical for cold-water fish. Forest buffers are necessary for restored Mid-Atlantic streams, but not sufficient unless combined with other practices that reduce nutrient loading and build a treatment train along flow paths.

    • Completion Certificate