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Leave low trees and shrubs and trees of varying degrees of slackness in the buffer strip of the thinning strip

Habitat Function Type of work
Forest
Living environment
Thinning

Buffer strips will be established and maintained along the banks of natural watercourses to maintain biodiversity and ensure ecological connectivity. The recommended width of the buffer strips is 5 metres on average, with an optimum of 1-10 metres.

Description of the action

Leave low trees and shrubs in the buffer strip of the water body to the extent that they do not prevent the target tree species from growing. If conditions are suitable, retain existing mature trees/deciduous trees and flatwoods in the buffer strip and leave regenerating trees. Thickets may be established by thinning, particularly in site types where there is a higher risk of windthrow. A buffer stripe of a watercourse can also form a mature grass-grassland meadow-like community.

Why?

It is also a good idea to leave a few low trees (e.g. hawthorn, grey alder) and shrubs along the buffer strip of the watercourse to provide better bank stability. The buffer strip provides habitats and movement corridors for birds and mammals.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

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