Riparian Restoration
What is The Freshwater Trust doing here?
Throughout the upper Willamette basin, The Freshwater Trust (TFT) and its partners, including public and private landowners, have been working to restore riverbanks, also called riparian restoration. Using our analytic toolkit, TFT has run data analyses to identify which land to prioritize for planting trees and vegetation that can create the necessary shade to help lower water temperatures and improve water quality.
Working with partners, TFT has conducted outreach to private landowners and negotiated 10-20-year project contracts to lease portions of the land for riparian restoration. Several projects are currently underway, and more planting projects are being negotiated.
Why is this important?
Riparian restoration done strategically is a cost-effective way to gain multiple environmental benefits, including lowering water temperatures, improving habitat for fish and other wildlife, improving overall water quality, and creating a more resilient natural landscape. TFT also prioritizes planting locations to deliver the most significant environmental benefit at the least cost. This ensures measurable and recognizable improvement within years, not decades.
How can you support these efforts?
One key way to support our efforts is through donations. TFT ensures that every dollar you give delivers measurable results that will make a difference in a timeline that matters. You can make a one-time gift or become a regular monthly donor today.
You can also support us by staying connected through our regular newsletter and emails. Sign up today to get the latest TFT news.
Following our social media accounts and sharing our posts with friends, family, and colleagues can also help support freshwater conservation and get more people involved.
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Want to take a deeper dive?
Check out these resources to learn about riparian restoration and related work in the upper Willamette basin.
