Restoration of afforested upland streams—what are we trying to achieve?

1. Commercial forestry in Britain poses particular problems for ecological restoration because it is dominated by cultivation of exotic conifer species in areas already modified by human activity. 2. Current forest management guidelines advocate maintenance of a buffer area, either open or lightly wooded with broadleaved trees, along watercourses. Alternative restoration programmes for streams in afforested upland areas have three potential goals: restoration of the stream to its form prior to afforestation; restoration to its presumed form prior to initial human intervention in the landscape; or maintenance of optimum river channel and riparian habitat diversity. 3. The first two would require intensive, continuous management, and would probably not be achievable. The last is, however, feasible and, furthermore, could incorporate the planted conifer species. Where conifers are already present in the riparian zone, their maintenance as an undisturbed buffer area would create a stream habitat complementary to open or broadleaf dominated stretches elsewhere, and would require very little management. 4. We propose that such stands of conifers should be removed from the commercial sphere of the forest and allowed to mature and regenerate, minimizing disturbance and contributing to the structural diversity of the aquatic system in afforested areas. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.