Riparian Buffer Zones

A riparian buffer is a vegetated area next to a stream that helps protect the stream from the impacts of adjacent land use. Forested areas make the best vegetated buffers, but any form of vegetation is preferable to pavement or bare ground. Such buffers help to reduce stormwater runoff while intercepting sediments and other pollutants that might otherwise end up in the stream.  

Examples of riparian buffer zones on the Stormwater Solutions Self-Guided Tour:

Salem Creek Greenway through Gateway Nature Preserve
(next to Washington Park)
1409 S. Broad Street, Winston-Salem