Templates for sustainable riparian management on family forest ownerships

Abstract

Riparian management is challenging for family forests. Regulatory buffers can have significant economic impacts on small ownerships and may not adequately address site-specific needs. Regulations in Washington State suggest riparian management templates as a solution. We propose an approach for developing these templates that combines economic criteria with a nonparametric statistical assessment of predicted stand structure relative to performance targets. This approach can be useful for helping family forest owners in Washington and elsewhere to achieve riparian management goals while maintaining long-term economic sustainability.