Natural resource professionals are increasingly faced with the challenges of cultivating community-based support for wetland ecosystem restoration. While extensive research efforts have been directed toward understanding the biophysical dimensions of wetland conservation, the literature provides less guidance on how to successfully integrate community stakeholders into restoration planning. Therefore, this study explores the social construction of wetlands locally, and community members' perceptions of the wetland restoration project in the Cache River Watershed of southern Illinois, where public and private agencies have partnered together to implement a large-scale wetlands restoration project. Findings illustrate that the wetlands hold diverse and significant meanings to community members and that community members' criteria for project success may vary from those identified by project managers. The case study provides managers with strategies for building community commitment such as engaging local citizens in project planning, minimizing local burdens, maximizing local benefits, and reducing uncertainty.

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The sediment filtering capabilities of giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Chapm.) and forest riparian buffers were compared in a southern Illinois, USA non tile drained agricultural watershed. Giant cane, a bamboo species, serves as important wildlife habitat throughout its native range in the southeastern and lower midwestern United States. Overland flow samples were collected at the field edge and at 3.3 m, 6.6 m, and 10.0 m within the riparian buffers during 19 precipitation events over a 1-year period. On an annual basis, significant sediment reductions occurred by 3.3 m and 6.6 m in the cane and forest buffers, respectively. The giant cane buffer reduced incoming sediment mass by 94% within the first 3.3 m, while the forest buffer reduced sediment by 86% over 6.6 m. Within 10.0 m of the field edge, the cane and forest buffers reduced sediment mass by 100% and 76%, respectively. On a seasonal basis, the cane buffer outperformed the forest buffer. During each of the four seasons, the cane buffer reduced sediment masses within 3.3 m of the field edge, while the forest buffer showed initial reductions occurring at 6.6 m during the summer, fall, and winter. No detectable reductions occurred during the spring in the forested buffer. Reductions in sediment concentrations were less evident compared to mass basis, indicating that infiltration may be a more important sediment reduction mechanism than particle settling. Both the forest and giant cane buffers had relatively high measured soil infiltration rates. Study results indicate that giant cane is an appropriate species to include in riparian buffer restoration designs for sediment control.

Nutrients in overland flow from agricultural areas are a common cause of stream and lake water quality impairment. One method of reducing excess nutrient runoff from non-point sources is to restore or enhance existing riparian areas as vegetative buffers. A field scale study was conducted to assess the ability of remnant giant cane ͑Arundinaria gigantea ͑Walt.͒ Muhl.͒ and forest riparian buffer zones to attenuate nutrients in agricultural surface runoff from natural precipitation events. Two adjacent, 10.0 m wide riparian buffers were instrumented with 16 overland flow collectors to monitor surface runoff for nitrate, ammonium, and orthophosphate. Measurements were taken at 3.3 m increments within each buffer. The forest buffer significantly reduced incoming dissolved nitrate-N, dissolved ammonium-N, total ammonium-N, and total orthophosphate masses in surface runoff by 97%, 74%, 68%, and 78 %, respectively within the 10.0 m riparian buffer. Nutrient reductions within the cane buffer were 100% for all three nutrients due to relatively high infiltration rates. Significant reductions of total ammonium-N and total orthophosphate were detected by 3.3 m in the cane buffer and at 6.6 m in the forest buffer. Results suggest that both giant cane and forest vegetation are good candidates to incorporate into riparian buffer restoration designs for southern Illinois as well as in other regions within their native range with similar climatic and physiographic conditions.

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