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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Riparian Buffer Restoration Guide Available
</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Network<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#404248">SNEP Network partners are assisting the Town of Middletown and Aquidneck Land Trust with planning and design for nature-based solutions to reduce
flooding and improve water quality of the Maidford River and downstream receiving waters. Riparian buffer restoration is a key element of this project. Read more about the Maidford</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> River
<span style="color:#404248">Riparian Buffer Restoration Project <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/snepnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Maidford-Buffer-Factsheet.pdf__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!YaNFRe4-A0JPP23g721W157uSf5X4-AP6Uf7I0mOvNP_0MnL77AIVxop3O5EpRxk6xwuiA$" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0366D6">HERE</span>
[snepnetwork.org]</a>.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#404248">View the Maidford River Buffer Restoration Guide <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/snepnetwork.org/buffer/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!YaNFRe4-A0JPP23g721W157uSf5X4-AP6Uf7I0mOvNP_0MnL77AIVxop3O5EpRwI6nNXow$" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0366D6">HERE</span>
[snepnetwork.org]</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#404248"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">This guide is intended to assist property owners who are interested in restoring and improving riparian buffers along the Maidford River. This guide is not an exhaustive resource, but is intended to give buffer
property owners enough information and resources to design and implement their own restoration project. While it was created specifically for the ongoing Maidford River Restoration Project, much of the information will be applicable to buffer property owners
statewide.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The health of any river depends upon the upland area that drains into it. A riparian buffer is the land next to a river or stream that is usually vegetated with trees, shrubs, ferns and other groundcover,
with a natural layer of previous year’s growth. This vegetation protects the river system by filtering contaminants from upland areas. The environmental and economic benefits of riparian buffers are well documented, and include:
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">● Reducing flooding by slowing stormwater runoff that travels over the land and into the river</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">● Improving water quality and reducing nonpoint source pollution by trapping pollutants and debris that would otherwise end up in the river
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">● Increasing streambank stability
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">● Providing wildlife habitat
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">● Improving aesthetics for human residents
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#404248;background:white">For more information on the Maidford River Buffer Restoration Project contact Jed Thorp with Save The Bay at 401-272-3540 x113 or </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:jthorp@savebay.org"><span style="color:#0366D6;background:white">jthorp@savebay.org</span></a><span style="color:#404248;background:white">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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