The vegetated area of land adjacent to lakes and rivers is often referred to as a shoreland or riparian buffer zone. This land serves as a bridge between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and performs many important functions. Studies performed by scientists and conservation groups across the country have shown that these vegetated areas protect water quality, serve as wildlife habitat and corridors and provide valuable social functions. These attributes take on greater importance as lakeshore and riverfront development increases. Increasingly, State and local ordinances are requiring that these vegetated tracts of land be preserved or restored with appropriate native vegetation.

As these governmental units design ordinances, the question of how wide riparian buffer zones should be often arises. There is no one answer to this question though. The Wisconsin Shoreland Management Program (WDNR Chapter NR 115), defines what they call a 'vegetative protection area' from the Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) extending inland 35 feet. Some counties, however, have passed shoreland zoning ordinances that require shoreland buffer zones wider than this. Examining the question from a different perspective, the effective width of a buffer zone is dependent upon the functions one is trying achieve. For example, to optimize wildlife habitat, studies have found that at least 300 foot wide vegetated areas are needed. In contrast, much smaller vegetated strips can be used to significantly reduce sedimentation into lakes and streams, protecting water quality.

The links below will take you through a discussion of several important functions that vegetated riparian buffer zones serve. Included in the discussions are studies examining effective widths to achieve these goals.

This site administered by:
Bill Klase, UW-Extension Natural Resources Educator
william.klase@ces.uwex.edu

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