Proceedings: Wildland Shrub and Arid Land Restoration Symposium

Revegetation is often limited in its ability to improve the condition of degraded riparian ecosystems. In some cases, revegetation was implemented in riparian areas that were fully capable of coming back naturally. In other instances, plantings were placed in riparian sites where they could not survive. To use riparian revegetation most effectively, the causes of site decline and the current ecological condition of the site need to be understood. This can best be accomplished by evaluating the condition of the degraded riparian ecosystem from a watershed perspective that takes into consideration how perturbations in surrounding ecosystems may be affecting site conditions. Riparian ecosystems are declining throughout the Southwest; many have disappeared completely. The rapid decline of these valuable ecosystems has made riparian conservation a focal issue for many federal, state, and private organizations. Nevertheless, progress toward checking the decline of riparian ecosystems has been marginal. This is due, in part, to the fact that the “science” of repairing damaged riparian ecosystems is relatively young, and some of the fundamental questions on riparian ecosystem processes and how human activities are affecting the ecological condition of riparian areas are still being investigated. In addition, the results of only a relatively small number of riparian mitigation efforts have been evaluated for the benefit of future projects (mitigation is defined here as any project that is performed to improve the ecological condition of an area.) Consequently, we have learned only marginally from past mitigation efforts and are just beginning to understand how to effectively repair degraded riparian ecosystems. The objective of this paper is to discuss the limitations of using revegetation to improve the condition of degraded riparian ecosystems. This paper also reviews riparian site characteristics that play a significant role in determining the effectiveness of riparian revegetation to improve the condition of degraded riparian ecosystems in arid environments. These issues are discussed in greater detail in a guidebook—Repairing Degraded Riparian Ecosystems—being prepared by the Rincon Institute in cooperation with the University of Arizona, Arizona Game & Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies. The guidebook also reviews approaches In: Roundy, Bruce A.; McArthur, E. Durant; Haley, Jennifer S.; Mann, David K., comps. 1995. Proceedings: wildland shrub and arid land restoration symposium; 1993 October 19-21; Las Vegas, NV. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-GTR-315. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station. Mark Briggs is the Director of Research at the Rincon Institute, 6842 E. Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson, AZ 85716.