The importance of recognizing Buffer Zones to lands being developed, restored, or remediated: on planning for protection of ecological resources

• Published in: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A Vol. 87; no. 4; pp. 133 - 149
• Main Authors: Burger, Joanna, Gochfeld, Michael, Brown, Kevin G., Ng, Kelly, Cortes, Monica, Kosson, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 16.02.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Biomonitoring; Buffer Zones; Conservation of Natural Resources; Decision making; Decisions; Ecological risk assessment; Ecosystem; Environmental cleanup; Environmental management; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Environmental risk; high value ecological lands; Interior Forests; Land use; legacy wastes; Remediation; Restoration; Valleys; Visual communication; Watersheds; remediation; high value ecological lands; Biomonitoring; Interior Forests; Buffer Zones; legacy wastes
• ISSN: 1528-7394; 1087-2620; 2381-3504
• DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2023.2285511

Environmental management relies on many types of information before making decisions regarding remediation, restoration, or other land use decisions, including ecological data, such as risks to species, populations, communities, and ecosystems. The aim of this investigation was to describe the ecological information required within the context of making environmental decisions and providing visual communication tools for regulators, conservationists, and the public to understand the risk to ecological resources on- and off-site. It is suggested that ecological information used in environmental decisions is required to be transparent throughout the planning and execution of a project, which needs to include: 1) ecological information and evaluations within development areas or units (in this case, watersheds), and 2) resources in adjacent areas (Buffer Zones) that might be affected. The Melton Valley administrative watershed (Oak Ridge Reservation, TN) is used as a case study because this site still has active facility development and environmental remediation, and there are important ecological resources on and off-site. Data indicate that although there are important resources on Melton Valley administrative watershed, there are also significant resources in the Buffer Zone around the watershed. Compared to the Melton Valley administrative watershed, the Buffer Zone contains more Interior (and Buffer) Forest and greater value resources. The point is made that when remediation, restoration, or development occurs, it is equally important to consider resources that are adjacent to the site in a Buffer Zone, particularly when remediation and development might continue for many years or decades.