Green Horizons

The maintenance of existing forests and the establishment of new trees in areas adjacent to streams (and prone to flooding) can be challenging. The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA), and its collaborative researchers, addressed this challenge at a field day in October, focusing on current riparian buffer research and its application on the land.

Larry Godsey, economist, Center for Agroforestry, discusses costshare incentive programs for riparian forest buffers at the field day.

Titled "Managing Riparian Forests and Riparian Buffers," the field day was hosted at the University of Missouri Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center at New Franklin, Mo. Topics included design and maintenance of riparian forests and buffers; planting configurations to reduce erosion; species selection; wildlife management; value added opportunities and cost-share/incentive programs. The Center for Agroforestry extends special thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and the University of Missouri for the expertise their personnel contributed to the program. A tour of the recently installed riparian forest buffer demonstration area at the HARC farm was a field day highlight, including streamside forests managed for timber production and decorative woody florals planted for reduced erosion, enhanced water quality and landowner income opportunities.

"This field day provided an effective forum for landowners and diverse resource agencies to come together and share information," said Dusty Walter, UMCA technology transfer specialist. "As science delivers new insights to enhance our resource stewardship, demonstrations and field days at University farms and centers across the state will continue to deliver this information to the owners and managers of our land resources."

For more information about riparian forest buffers, see the UMCA Agroforestry in Action guide "Establishing and Managing Riparian Forest Buffers," available online at www.centerforagroforestry.org, at the Publications link; or email umca@missouri.edu to request a copy.

This field day was made possible, and funded in part, by the Forest Land Enhancement Program administered through the Missouri Department of Conservation.