Riparian Forest Restoration Project
Rachel Jolley, Former Graduate Research Assistant, and
B. Graeme Lockaby, Professor
- SFWS HOME
- Graduate Degrees Offered
- Faculty Research Expertise
- Research Assistantships
- Graduate Student Projects
- Contact the GPO Office
- FAQ
| Forestry & Wildlife Bldg. 602 Duncan Drive Auburn, AL 36849-5418 (334) 844-1007 (334) 844-1084 FAX |
Due to intense military traffic throughout the forests of Ft. Benning Military Installation, severe erosion has impacted the majority of the riparian areas on base. Riparian forests, which act as environmental filters in trapping sediment and improving water quality, have received the heaviest impact from this erosion. Some of these headwater ephemeral streams have received as much as 3.0 cm/yr of sediment deposition. Pre-restoration studies showed a significant decrease in net primary production (NPP) in riparian forests with the heaviest sediment deposition rates. Restoration measures began in March of 2004 and included the installation of fabric dams, adding rip-rock along road edges, creating catchment basins, grading and stabilizing road beds, the seeding of native grasses, and planting trees. Post-restoration studies will evaluate the effectiveness of these treatments in their ability to reduce sedimentation rates. A total of 13 study plots will be monitored over the next three years to evaluate forest health, based on several response variables: above- and belowground NPP, biogeochemical cycling, tree recruitment and survivability, and forest successional patterns. 