PLANNING FOR MULTI-PURPOSE RIPARIAN MANAGEMENT

Proper riparian management can provide numerous environmental, social, and economic benefits. At the USDA National Agroforestry Center, we are tailoring the land-use planning process to facilitate riparian management in the Western Corn Belt ecoregion for multiple benefits. This planning framework integrates regional, landscape and site scale planning approaches into a unified framework. In this framework, regional and landscape-scale public issues are addressed along with site-scale landowner objectives to facilitate balanced management plans providing broad mutual benefits. Our question-driven framework provides general guidance for inventory and analysis, preparation of planning objectives, and development and evaluation of management options. To support the planning framework, planning tools and data are being developed to assist stakeholders in creating riparian management plans