Last Reviewed by MLTC: 03/31/2026.
Guidance on improving water quality by prioritizing forest protection, reducing impacts from land management, and implementing vegetated and riparian buffers in conservation and stewardship planning.
Resources:
- The Role of Trees and Forests in Healthy Watersheds (Penn State Extension, 2025)
Shows that maintaining or restoring forest cover, especially near water, reduces runoff and improves water quality, supporting conservation prioritization.
Resource: https://extension.psu.edu/the-role-of-trees-and-forests-in-healthy-watersheds - Forest Stewardship: Watershed Management (Penn State Extension, 2025)
Explains how activities like harvesting and roads affect water and how to plan management to avoid erosion and pollution impacts on streams.
Resource: https://extension.psu.edu/forest-stewardship-watershed-management - Riparian Forest Buffers (U.S. Forest Service)
Describes using forested buffer zones along streams to filter pollutants, stabilize banks, and protect waterways, supporting restoration and easement design.
Resource: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/practices/riparian-forest-buffers.php - Stormwater Solutions: Vegetated Buffers (Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, 2022)
Provides guidance on designing vegetated buffers to slow runoff, increase infiltration, and reduce flooding at the site scale.
Resource: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stormwater-solutions-for-homeowners-fact-sheet-vegetated-buffers - Filtering Pollutants with Plants (Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management)
Outlines planting strategies using trees, shrubs, and grasses to reduce pollutants from runoff, useful for stewardship and landowner outreach.
Resource: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/cz-tip-keep-waterways-clean-by-filtering-pollutants-with-plants