1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

OPtimal strategies to retAIN and re-use water and nutrients in small agricultural catchments across different soil-climatic regions in Europe (OPTAIN)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Institute for Soil Sciences, Centre for Agricultural Research (ATK TAKI) - Hungary

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Vegetative riparian buffers are strips of trees, bushes and grass alongside surface water bodies such as streams or ponds. Their main function is to provide a natural buffer strip to filter out nutrient and sediment transported from agricultural fields and prevent it reaching the water bodies - as well as maintaining undisturbed green corridors.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Vegetative riparian buffers are strips of trees and other vegetation alongside surface water bodies such as streams or ponds. They are used in natural environments, as well as in urban, agricultural and wetland areas. Their main function is to provide a natural buffer to increase infiltration, and to filter out nutrients and sediment transported from agricultural fields – thus preventing it reaching (and polluting) water bodies. Riparian buffers also help moderate flow. Creating such green corridors alongside waterlines is advantageous ecologically as well. However, land users usually prefer cultivating the largest possible area of land, so they dislike leaving significant areas abandoned to nature. Another complaint is that riparian buffers provide habitats for wildlife, often resulting in damage to cropland.

Where a natural buffer does not exist - mostly in the neighbourhood of agricultural fields - it can be created by planting trees and bushes alongside the water body. Variable buffer width design with an average width of 15 m (max. 20 m) is recommended.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

No

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• natural and semi-natural forest management
• forest plantation management
• surface water management (spring, river, lakes, sea)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• USD

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Soil preparation	any season
2.	Planting	autumn

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Soil preparation	person-day	2.0	50.0	100.0	100.0
Labour	Planting (4000 seedlings on 1 hectare)	person-day	3.0	50.0	150.0	100.0
Equipment	Soil preparation	hiring cost/day	1.0	400.0	400.0	100.0
Equipment	Planting	hiring cost/day	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Plant material	Seedlings	piece	4000.0	0.1	400.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1150.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					1150.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

-

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	No maintenance required

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	No maintenance required

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

-

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

-

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• leased
• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
seasonal rainfall	summer	decrease	moderately

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
landslide	not well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 11-50%

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Soil erosion/sediment control

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Trees in riparian areas can efficiently take up excess nutrients
It can decrease sediment inputs to surface waters
It can create riparian habitat

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
It overshadows the edge of the neighboring parcel and decrease the yield
Wild animals living there can cause damages on croplands
Can cause the spread of weeds on the neighboring parcels

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Conflicts can occur between the water managment authority and farmers regarding the border of the cultivated area

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Jiang et al. 2020: Riparian buffer effectiveness as a function of buffer design and input loads

Available from where? Costs?

https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jeq2.20149

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

EUROPEAN NWRM PLATFORM

URL:

http://nwrm.eu/

7.4 General comments

no comments