Patterns of riparian policy standards in riverscapes of the Oregon Coast Range

Abstract

A riverscape perspective considers the ecological and social landscape of the river and its valley. In this context, we examined the spatial arrangement of protective policies for river networks. Riparian land-management standards are policy efforts that explicitly restrict certain management actions, e.g., timber harvest or land clearing, in stream-adjacent lands in order to protect water quality and aquatic habitat. In western Oregon, USA, management standards for riparian lands vary across federal, state, and private landownerships and land uses, projecting a patchwork of protective efforts across the landscape. The resulting variability in protection can complicate coordinated recovery efforts for threatened and endangered aquatic organisms, including migratory coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), that rely on stream habitats throughout the river network. Using a geographic information system, we quantified the spatial distribution of riparian management standards at multiple spatial extents: across the entire Oregon Coast Range, within the region's 84 HUC-10 watersheds, and in stream segments with high intrinsic potential to support coho salmon habitat. We found that the proportion of streams falling under protective efforts varied across watersheds in the region. In particular, watersheds containing streams of high intrinsic potential to support coho salmon habitat were associated with gaps in protective standards. By comparing the policy landscape to the biophysical landscape, our approach provides a novel framework for examining the spatial overlay of social and ecological concerns, and has direct relevance to assessments of population-scale restoration and recovery efforts.

Mapping legal authority for terrestrial conservation corridors along streams

“…2015; Boisjolie et al. 2019). For instance, agencies or NGOs might incentivize conservation easements along corridors (e.g., location C [Fig.…”

“…2017; Boisjolie et al. 2019). Social aspects of connectivity conservation, for example, public conservation orientation (Lechner et al.…”

“…2018; Boisjolie et al. 2019). Each authority source applies to a fragment of the ecosystem; there is a spatial mismatch (Folke et al.…”

“…We define sources of legal authority as formal governmental authority through constitutional, statutory, regulatory (including land‐use planning and zoning), and management authority, as well as public or private ownership (Baldwin & DeMaynadier 2009; Boisjolie et al. 2019). Legal authority originates at the international, national, tribal, subnational, state or provincial, or local level of government.…”

Lignes directrices pour la conservation de la connectivité par le biais de réseaux et de corridors écologiques

“…Les politiques visant à protéger les zones riveraines et le saumon coho sont plus concrètes et applicables dans les zones peu fréquentées par ces poissons (Boisjolie et al, 2019). Du fait de ces lacunes en matière de protection, des mesures incitatives ont été mises en place pour encourager les initiatives volontaires de restauration des cours d'eau et la gestion des zones exploitées dans le bassin du fleuve Coquille.…”