What is a Riparian Cooridor?
A riparian corridor is a unique plant community consisting of the vegetation growing near a river, stream, lake, lagoon or other natural body of water. Riparian corridors serve a variety of functions important to people and the environment such as:
- protection of wildlife and aquatic habitats
- protection of water quality and prevention of erosion by filtering sediment from runoff before it enters rivers and streams.
- protection of open space, cultural, historical, and aesthetic values
- transportation and storage of floodwaters.
Riparian Protection
Development activities (such as grading, land clearing, building and tree or shrub removal), other than those allowed through exemptions or exceptions, are not allowed within a riparian corridor.
Riparian Vegetation / Woodland
Riparian vegetation is typically a plant species that occurs in wet areas along streams and/or marshes. A riparian woodland is a plant community along streams and/or marshes and includes characteristic riparian vegetation species such as black cottonwood, red alder, sycamore, white alder, box elder, creek dogwood and willow.
Woody Vegetation
Woody vegetation is a plant that uses wood as its structural tissue. These are typically perennial plants whose stems and larger roots are reinforced with wood produced adjacent to the vascular tissues. The main stem, larger branches, and roots of these plants are usually covered by a layer of thickened bark. Woody plants are usually either trees, shrubs, or lianas.