Riparian areas

OSU Extension shares research-based information to help Oregonians protect and restore riparian areas along streams, rivers and wetlands. We provide guidance on vegetation management, erosion control and habitat enhancement to support healthy waterways and resilient landscapes.

Streams and riparian areas: Clean water, diverse habitat

Streams and streambanks are vital but vulnerable wildlife habitat. Learn the steps you can take to improve vegetation and water quality on your riparian property. These recommendations can help protect birds, fish and other species, while helping you follow the law.

This publication is part of the Land Steward Rural Resource Guidelines series.

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Photo Credit: Wirestock - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

Latest resources

Episode 70: Community Forestry in the PNW (in English)

Daniel Wear and Jake Barker discuss the ins and outs of acquiring and managing a section of forestland to achieve the ultimate goals of a community.

Carrie Cantrell, Jake Barker, Daniel Wear | Dec 2025 | Podcast episode

Streamside gardening: your garden, our shared watershed

On land surrounding a stream, how you garden can maintain or restore some of the functions of a healthy streamside to benefit plants, wildlife, and humans. Here are six tips for protecting our watershed while gardening.

Shannon Rauter | Nov 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog

The intriguing life of coho salmon and a conservation opportunity for landowners

Coho salmon rely on cool, connected streams, and private forest owners play a key role in their recovery. Learn how your simple restoration efforts can make a lasting impact on this threatened species.

Sarah Cameron, David Bugni, Glenn Ahrens | Dec 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog

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Resilience and Connectivity in the Klamath River Basin (in English)

This story map on the restoration work in the Klamath River Basin includes information about the planned removal of four hydropower dams and the effect this work may have on water quality, salmon restoration and the people in the region.

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Photo Credit: Joshua Rainey - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

Featured resources

Winter farmscaping to enhance riparian vegetation along ponds and waterways

Farmscaping describes a broad range of activities that improve the diversity of a small farm and enhance the ecosystem it inhabits. Creating riparian buffer zones is one such enhancement.

Elizabeth Murphy | Apr 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog

Establishing and maintaining streamside tree buffers on Western Oregon farmland

Learn how to establish tree buffers along Western Oregon streams to filter runoff, reduce erosion and support wildlife while balancing farmland productivity and habitat values.

William H. Emmingham, Badege Bishaw, William Rogers | May 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog

Threat-based Management for Creeks, Streams and Rivers

This guide is a decision-support tool for understanding how riparian areas such as creeks, rivers and streams should function in sagebrush ecosystems. Land managers can determine whether a riparian area is functioning properly and how to restore or maintain proper function.

Dirk Renner, Jackie Cupples, Jeremy Austin, Tammy Barnes, Chad Boyd, Dustin Johnson, Vanessa Schroeder, Anya Tyson | Dec 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog

Living on the Land: Got a stream? Grow plants!

Learn how to best protect your stream areas with native vegetation and grazing strategies that help wildlife and property values.

Ellen Hammond, Brian Tuck, Susan Kerr, Shilah Olson | May 2024 | OSU Extension Catalog

More riparian resources

Land Steward online course (in English)

The OSU Land Steward online course is designed for owners of woodlands, small farms, pasture or other rural land who want to manage their property's natural resources more effectively. This is a research-based, professionally developed course.

Oct 2024 | Online resource

Episode 26: Stream Restoration (in English)

In this episode, Stephen Fitzgerald visits Woodcock Creek to interview multiple people involved in restoring and enhancing its natural habitat.

Stephen Fitzgerald, Jennifer Gorski, Brent Klumph, Walker Trask, Dave Stewart | Oct 2022 | Podcast episode

Instream Restoration: Critical to Watershed Health (in English)

In this video viewers explore the critical role streams play in our watersheds and see what landowners from the coast range to the high deserts are doing to help improve Oregon's precious streams.

Steve Johnson, Jack Sleeper, Rob Drummond, Brett Hodgson, Don Wagner, Jennifer Noonan, Derek Godwin | Jun 2024 | Video

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Forest health and management

Rangeland conservation and management

Fish and aquatic life

Sustainability

Wildlife

Water management and conservation

Upcoming Events

May 26

Webinar: Watersheds and fish passage

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm PDT Online

May 28

Watershed Field Tour: Monroe Drop Structure

11:30 am - 1:00 pm Monroe, OR

Jun 6

Watershed Field Tour: Middle McKenzie River

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Vida, OR

Jul 11

Tree School Field Day 2026

8:00 am - 4:15 pm Oregon City, OR

Meet Our Experts

Glenn Ahrens

Forestry

Miranda Gray

Coastal Water Resources Extension Educator

Topics Miranda works on include: Watershed conservation and restoration, Drinking water, Water wise landscaping, Citizen science, Water data and technology

Arshdeep Singh

Assistant Professor, Water Quality Extension Specialist

David Wooster

Riparian Entomologist

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Can one cow contaminate my well water?

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