Buffer Strip Benefits

The benefits of buffer strips include:

• Runoff filtering: As runoff from adjacent lands flow through a buffer, pollutants and sediment are filtered and removed. Excess nutrients from lawn fertilizers, animal manure and failing septic systems, for instance, can be taken up and used by plants. In addition, buffer grasses can help slow down the velocity of surface runoff.

  Depending on the width and characteristics of the buffer, as much as 70 to 95 percent of incoming sediment, and 25 to 60 percent of incoming nutrients and other pollutants can be removed from the runoff.

• Bank stabilization: Natural buffers that extend down to the water’s edge can be very effective in stabilizing lake banks and preventing erosion. In contrast to conventional turfgrass (which is shallow-rooted), natural riparian vegetation often has dense, deep root systems that firmly anchor shoreline soils.
• Preservation of fish and wildlife habitat: Many aquatic organisms, particularly insects, spend substantial portions of their life cycles in upland environments. Buffers provide a critical transition zone between upland and lowland aquatic/wetland areas. Buffer plants also can shade shorelines providing necessary habitat for fish and other wildlife. Depending on the width, buffers also can shield sensitive species, particularly birds, from potentially disruptive activities occurring on adjacent land uses.
• Screening noise: Beyond protecting wildlife uses, buffers also can preserve the quality of lake recreational uses by filtering noise. Forested buffers, in particular, can effectively intercept noise from adjacent highways and industrial operations.
• Preservation of aesthetic values: Lakeside property owners often have varying opinions about what constitutes “appropriate” shoreline landscaping. However, most will agree that “natural” is better than “artificial.” Even a narrow buffer can enhance the view across a lake. In addition to reducing noise levels, forested buffers can help provide privacy from surrounding developments.

How to Create Effective Buffer Strips >>