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Buffer strips are areas of natural vegetation cover (grass, bushes or trees) at the margin of fields, arable land, transport infrastructures and water courses. They can have several different configurations of vegetation found on them varying from simply grass to combinations of grass, trees, and shrubs. Due to their permanent vegetation, buffer strips offer good conditions for effective water infiltration and slowing surface flow; they therefore promote the natural retention of water. They can also significantly reduce the amount of suspended solids, nitrates and phosphates originating from agricultural run-off. Buffer strips can be sited in riparian zones, or away from water bodies as field margins, headlands or within fields (e.g. beetle banks). Hedges across long, steep slopes may reduce soil erosion as they intercept and slow surface run-off water before it builds into damaging flow, particularly where there is a margin or buffer strip alongside. For the purpose of this catalogue, riparian buffer (see F1) are considered a separate NWRM as they generally have different design, implementation and management criteria.
Benefits
Ecosystem service
Level | Benefits | |
---|---|---|
High | Regulatory and maintenance | ES7 - Flood risk reduction |
High | Regulatory and maintenance | ES8 - Erosion/sediment control |
High | Regulatory and maintenance | ES9 - Filtration of pollutants |
Medium | Regulatory and maintenance | ES5 - Climate change adaptation and mitigation |
Medium | Regulatory and maintenance | ES6 - Groundwater/aquifer recharge |
Low | Provisioning | ES3 - Natural biomass production |
Low | Regulatory and maintenance | ES4 - Biodiversity preservation |
Biophysical impacts
Level | Benefits | ||
---|---|---|---|
High | Mechanism of Water Retention | Slowing and reducing runoff | BP2 - Slow runoff |
High | Biophysical Impacts Resulting from Water Retention | Soil conservation | BP10 - Reduce erosion and/or sediment delivery |
Medium | Mechanism of Water Retention | Reducing runoff | BP5 - Increase evapotranspiration |
Medium | Mechanism of Water Retention | Reducing runoff | BP7 - Increase soil water retention |
Medium | Biophysical Impacts Resulting from Water Retention | Reducing pollution | BP9 - Intercept pollution pathways |
Medium | Biophysical Impacts Resulting from Water Retention | Creating habitat | BP14 - Create terrestrial habitats |
Medium | Biophysical Impacts Resulting from Water Retention | Climate alteration | BP17 - Absorb and/or retain CO2 |
Low | Mechanism of Water Retention | Reducing runoff | BP6 - Increase infiltration and/or groundwater recharge |
Low | Biophysical Impacts Resulting from Water Retention | Soil conservation | BP11 - Improve soils |
Policy Objectives
Level | Benefits |
---|---|
High | PO7 - Prevent surface water status deterioration |
High | PO9 - Take adequate and co-ordinated measures to reduce flood risks |
High | PO11 - Better protection for ecosystems and more use of Green Infrastructure |
High | PO12 - More sustainable agriculture and forestry |
High | PO14 - Prevention of biodiversity loss |
Medium | PO3 - Improving status of hydromorphology quality elements |
Medium | PO8 - Prevent groundwater status deterioration |
Low | PO1 - Improving status of biology quality elements |
Low | PO2 - Improving status of physico-chemical quality elements |
Low | PO4 - Improving chemical status and priority substances |
Low | PO5 - Improving quantitative status |
Low | PO6 - Improving chemical status |
Low | PO10 - Protection of important habitats |
Low | PO13 - Better management of fish stocks |