Environmental Science
Why Riparian Buffer Zones Maintain Stream Health and Biodiversity
Quick fact
A strip of trees and shrubs just 10–30 meters wide can remove up to 90% of nitrogen and phosphorus from runoff before it reaches the stream.
Why this is interesting
Picture a stream without its trees—clearer, maybe, but might be a silent crisis. Why does a green ribbon of plants make the difference between a thriving stream and a lifeless ditch?