Riparian Restoration & Songbirds

Riparian ecosystems, the interface between land and water, are highly productive areas associated with creeks, streams, rivers, and wetlands. Riparian habitat comprises less than 1% of land cover in the western United States, yet supports more diverse and abundant wildlife populations than upland areas. In California, Oregon, and Wyoming, WCS has been working with both private and public land managers to evaluate the response of riparian-dependent songbirds to a variety of riparian management and restoration efforts.

The Human Aspect
Over 60% of the neotropical migratory bird species in the western United States use riparian areas at some point during the year.  Breeding diversity of birds is higher in riparian habitat than all other western habitats combined. Healthy riparian areas also provide critical functions for society including water filtration and storage, groundwater recharge, and flood control. Human uses of these areas include agriculture, livestock grazing, timber management, and mining.

Threats
Excessive human use has degraded, altered, or destroyed 95% of the riparian systems in the arid west. Furthermore, widespread extirpation of the American beaver has robbed riparian systems of an “ecological engineer” whose dam building activities improve habitat for fish, wildlife, and livestock.

WCS Activities
Since 1998, WCS has been working with private and public land managers to evaluate the response of riparian-dependent songbirds to a variety of management and restoration efforts including alternative grazing practices and beaver reintroduction. Research on songbird habitat needs during migration and breeding, avian surveys, and vegetation inventories are being used to identify indicator species of healthy riparian systems. In California, WCS is collaborating with private ranchers and range managers to evaluate songbird responses to rotational grazing management. In Oregon, WCS is working on federal lands to assess impacts of seasonal grazing on riparian vegetation and wildlife. WCS is also engaged with private landowners in Wyoming to determine how beaver reintroduction on their lands has affected bird diversity. In addition, WCS is involved in workshops and seminars that seek to inform land-use management and riparian rehabilitation policy and practice.

Important Next Steps
• Continue collaboration with stakeholders in riparian restoration efforts
  and provide evidence of management success.
• Facilitate adaptive riparian management plans.
• Identify indicator species of healthy riparian systems.
• Participate in seminars, workshops, and discussions with diverse groups of
  stakeholders to report and interpret results for a broader audience of land
  managers and conservationists.

WCS Riparian Restoration, Beaver and Songbird Related Publications