Grady Jr., Johnny. 2001. Effects of buffer width on organic matter input to headwater streams in the western Cascade Mountains of Washington State. M.S.
Large-scale forest clear-cutting is often no longer considered an acceptable forest management strategy, and more environmentally focused forestry practices are being developed and implemented. As alternative forest management techniques and strategies are developed and tested, it is essential that environmental studies are conducted at the same time to ensure that the alternative practices are in fact providing significant environmental protection. The primary emphasis of this study was to determine the effects of forest harvesting on litterfall delivery to the stream channel. Responses in streams of watersheds harvested at varying degrees of disturbance were compared to nearby undisturbed streams. From September 1999 to October 2000 litterfall was collected every 2 to 4 weeks when road access was snow-free to the sites. With the knowledge of forest characteristics litterfall inputs between similar riparian forests were compared to assess the capability of buffers to simulate natural litterfall delivery to the stream channel. No clear statistical relationship could be determined by which litterfall amounts were related to buffer widths.