Riparian Areas are highly valuable ecosystems; their position in the landscape connects aquatic areas with terrestrial areas.
Native Trees and Shrubs:
- Shade aquatic habitat
- Shelter insects for birds, fish & small mammals to eat
- Offer nesting and perching places for bird
- Provide resting and foraging areas for frogs, turtles, waterfowl, songbirds and small mammals
Economic Value of Riparian Areas
When riparian areas are degraded there is a financial cost incurred by society to replace the lost ecological goods and services through:
- Increased water treatment costs
- Increased illness and health care costs due to decreased water quality
- Increased insurance costs due to flooding
- Increased costs for dredging sediment from waterways
- Decreased property value due to degraded aesthetic qualities
- Decreased swimming/fishing opportunities
- Decreased revenues from tourism activities associated with healthy ecosystems
Source: Ducks Unlimited Canada
Ecosystem Services we receive from Restoration of the Miami River Greenway:
- Recreational Pathway
- Increased Tourism Activities
- Wind break, noise buffer and visual screen
- Increased Property Value for homeowners
- Stabilization of the soil
- Runoff & Flood Control
- Water Filtration
- Insect control in our Village by birds, bats, frogs, small mammals etc.
- Clean air through oxygen release and carbon storage
- Cools the air temperature by providing shade from summer sun – can be up to 20 degrees cooler under mature trees. This benefits people and both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife .
