Vegetation and Wildlife HabitatRiparian plant communities in California support more wildlife than any other land cover type. When wildlife select habitat, they make decisions based on the species of plants, as well as the growth form of the plants. To understand how wildlife habitat can be designed through restoration requires 1) knowledge about individual riparian plants and how they will behave in different plant communities and location on the floodplain and 2) an understanding of which plants and plant structures wildlife species require for breeding, nesting, cover, and foraging habitat. |
Riparian Plant Communities Classification
There are numerous ways to classify and describe plant communities based on the species of individual trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs.
Ecological Tolerances of Riparian Plants
Riparian plants develop in the dynamic transition between aquatic and terrestrial zones. Each plant exhibits a preferred location on the floodplain.
- Valley Oak
- Blue Elderberry
- Coyote Brush
- Oregon Ash
- California Rose
- Western Sycamore
- Box elder
- California Blackberry
- Buttonbush
- Fremont Cottonwood
- Goodding’s Black Willow
- Red Willow
- Arroyo Willow
- Sandbar Willow
- White Alder
Restoration Planting Design: Vegetation Structure
Riparian plants can be combined to form multiple structures, such as dense thickets and forest canopy layers.
Restoration Design: Wildlife Habitat
Riparian restoration can be designed to create wildlife habitat by considering structures and plants that are required by individual birds, mammals, insects, and fish.
