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Members: please contact us through your membership portal with new coordinates to add to the map
We Plant Trees in Riparian Zones
Help us find tree planting projects across the world
What is a Riparian Zone
A Riparian Zone or Riparian Buffer Zone is the area of land bordering creeks, rivers, lakes, and bodies of water. This land area plays a critical role in supporting the local ecosystem.
The benefits of a healthy riparian zone include:
Providing habitat for land animals and strengthening migratory corridors and habitat connectors
The root systems provides habitat for amphibians, reptiles, and other aquatic life
Reduces agricultural runoff of sediment by 40-70%
Woody vegetation can dampen Nitrogen and Phosphorus runoff by up to 99%
Help maintain water quality
Reduce riverbank erosion by stabilizing the riverbank
Reduce floodwater velocity
Overhead trees provide shade which helps reduces the water temperature for aquatic life
Promoting Biodiversity
Riparian zones are biodiversity hotspots that provide a unique habitat between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The combination of moisture, shelter, and nutrient-rich soils creates an ideal environment for a diverse array of plant and animal species. Many animals rely on these zones to survive, which often makes riparian zones the most densely populated areas of wildlife within the local ecosystem.
How It All Comes Together
Step 1.
Identifying (with your help) areas bordering creeks, streams, and rivers that lack a riparian zone
Step 2.
Once a region has been thoroughly surveyed for potential areas needing riparian zones, we cluster the planting zones and assess
Step 3.
We start planting trees! We rely on the committed efforts of different local organizations to provide on-the-ground logistical support. This wouldn’t be possible without you!
How you can help
Becoming a Member
Our members are the lifeblood of The Riparian Project through contributing to our Mapping Project, to financially supporting our reforestation projects. We wont be able to get far without a crowd-sourced
As a member, you join the ranks of the Gregarious Riparianist team, which means a whole lot of perks:
You can add pins to our map of riparian projects
Get behind-the-scenes content of our tree planting projects
Discounts on some of our fun apparel
Check out our Next Project
The Wabash River Project
This project will involve Riparian Reforestation projects along the Wabash River in Western Indiana. The first project planned for October 17th 2025 will involve planting trees along a 3 mile section of the Wabash River.
Total length of river with reforested riparian buffer: 1,410ft
Total area of land reforested: 18,330 sqft
Total number of trees planted: 402
Why We’re Different
Impactful Locations
We plant trees in areas that desperately need trees. Areas where agricultural runoff, erosion, and flooding are more pronounced. Pound for pound, we truly believe our reforestation efforts have the most dramatic positive impact.
Crowd Sourced
We get everyone that we can to be directly involved in our tree planting projects. Everything from finding tree planting locations, to partnering with local organizations to plant the trees is a team effort.
Small Scale Projects
Since our tree planting projects are scattered across smaller sites, larger established tree planting organizations rarely take on these projects so they frequently fall by the wayside. Not anymore.
Long-Term Vision
We are just getting started with tree planting. Our goal is to cover every creek, stream, river, and flood zone with riparian zones, wherever possible. All 6 continents can expect healthier waterways.