Number: 1989-12
WHEREAS, forest riparian ecosystems are extremely productive, have diverse habitat values for fish and wildlife, and support a greater diversity of wildlife than adjacent upland forestlands; and
WHEREAS, forest riparian zones serve a variety of functions including water purification, absorption of floodwaters, erosion control and aquifer recharge; and
WHEREAS, forest riparian zones provide shade and cover, and are used as critical habitat by spawning and rearing anadromous and resident fish; and
WHEREAS, forest riparian habitat provides critical habitat for a variety of birds and mammals; and
WHEREAS, much of the valuable timber on private lands in the United States includes forest riparian ecosystems; and
WHEREAS, current logging practices on many private lands have resulted in significant soil erosion, the deposition of excessive organic debris in streams, barriers to fish passage, thermal stream pollution, and loss of important fish and wildlife habitat; and
WHEREAS, environmental regulatory controls of logging and timber management vary widely and are often ineffectual, especially on private lands; and
WHEREAS, current economic conditions and Federal tax laws have encouraged accelerated logging which has resulted in the degradation of riparian habitats; and
WHEREAS, there are very limited economic incentives for landowners or leaseholders to preserve buffer strips to protect forest riparian ecosystems;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 16-19, 1989, in Arlington, Virginia calls upon the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to establish incentives for private forestland owners to set aside forest riparian areas for conservation benefits. Additionally, the Federation supports state efforts to implement stream buffer protection programs.