Protecting Trees and Native Vegetation

Salem Revised Code Chapter 808 provides protections for trees and native plants in riparian areas.

Understanding Riparian Areas

A riparian area is the land next to a waterway or water body, such as a stream or lake. These areas have special soil and plants and are greatly affected by the presence of water. Riparian areas act as important transition zones that connect water to land and provide many benefits.

Why These Areas Matter to Us

Healthy riparian areas are diverse and support many types of native plants and animals. They provide several important benefits, including:

• Filtering Pollutants: Riparian areas filter out pollutants like nutrients and sediments, which helps keep the water cleaner.

• Stabilizing Streambanks: They hold streambanks in place, reducing erosion and flooding caused by sediment buildup, which protects property.

• Shading Streams: Vegetation in riparian areas shades streams, keeping the water cool. Cooler water holds more oxygen, which is essential for aquatic life.

• Slowing Flood Waters: These areas slow down and absorb floodwaters, reducing the impact of flooding.

• Providing Habitat: Riparian areas offer food and shelter for wildlife, whether they live on land, in the water, or in the sky.

• Facilitating Wildlife Movement: They allow wildlife to move freely within natural corridors.

Impacts to Riparian Areas and Streams

Development in urban and rural areas that does not consider riparian resources leads to a significant loss of these important areas. In cities, hard surfaces like roads and driveways can harm riparian zones. When it rains, these surfaces direct more water into streams, causing quick changes in stream height and speed. This can harm habitats and change the stream channel.

Polluted runoff from hard surfaces during rain can be especially harmful. This runoff carries pollutants like pesticides, fertilizers, trash, and sediment, which can hurt water quality and aquatic life. Additionally, fertilizer runoff increases nutrient levels, leading to harmful algae blooms that can damage aquatic ecosystems. Trash not only pollutes the water and creates an eyesore but can also cause flooding and endanger wildlife.

What You Can Do to Help

You can take several steps to protect and improve riparian areas:

• Preserve Existing Riparian Areas: Keep the current riparian areas on your property healthy. 

• Plant Native Vegetation: Use native plants to create a riparian buffer on bard slopes. You can find a flyer with native plants suitable for streambanks here. 

• Remove Invasive Species: Get rid of invasive plants like Himalayan blackberry and English ivy. Replace them with native Oregon plants.

• Reduce Chemical Use: Minimize or eliminate fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in your yard and garden. You can find alternatives to these chemicals here. 

Explore Alternative Options

• Decrease Impervious Surfaces: Reduce the amount of hard surfaces on your property. Consider using pervious pavers or removing hard surfaces where possible. 

• Create a Rain Garden: Set up a rain garden on your property to help filter pollution from rooftop runoff. Download a DIY guide to creating a rain garden.