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A Watershed Prioritization Model For Community-Centered Riparian Forest Restoration In Tennessee, Madison Johnson

Masters Theses

Riparian forests are unique ecosystems that act as transitional areas between land and water that are a vital part of a healthy and functional stream ecosystem. Due to the rapidly changing landscape, riparian forests are increasingly threatened by urban development, agriculture, and invasive species, which contributes to a trend of degrading water quality in Tennessee. To address declining riparian forest quality in the face of land-use changes, the purpose of this study was to develop a simple watershed prioritization model that identifies areas that are highly susceptible to poor water quality, and where riparian plantings would be most beneficial. This …