Riparian Vegetation Protocol
Purpose
Characterizing logs and riparian vegetation provides valuable information on the habitat of the upper beach and marine-terrestrial connectivity. This may change depending on shoreline armoring, development in the uplands, and winter storms. Logs provide shelter for many invertebrates such as beach-hopper amphipods, and foraging habitat for shorebirds. Riparian vegetation provides habitat for terrestrial insects that are prey resources for juvenile salmon. Log and riparian vegetation measurements can be concurrent with quadrat sampling of beach wrack, pitfall trap sampling of invertebrates fallout trap sampling of insects, and surveys for shorebirds.
Also see this report for more information on riparian vegetation in Puget Sound.