A Practical Field Guide for Designing Conservation Buffers

(Time: 00:52)  In this webinar, participants will learn how to use evidence-based guidelines for designing vegetative buffers as presented in the publication Conservation Buffers: Design Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways, a guide created for field professionals. Each guideline describes a specific way that a buffer can be applied to protect soil, improve air and water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, produce economic products, provide recreation opportunities, or beautify the landscape. These illustrated rules-of-thumb are applicable nationwide in wildland, rural, and urban landscapes. Participants will also learn how to use a simple function-based matrix tool for designing buffers to accomplish more than one objective. A case study exercise will demonstrate the application of these buffer tools to achieve landowners’ goals.