What is a landscape buffer?

A landscape buffer is primarily defined as a landscaped area that helps filter runoff. This type of design is crucial in environmental landscaping as it plays an essential role in managing water quality. By incorporating native vegetation and various plant types within the buffer zone, it can absorb and filter stormwater before it enters waterways. This natural filtration process reduces pollutants in the water, such as sediments, nutrients, and contaminants, by trapping them in the root systems and soil of the plants.

Additionally, landscape buffers provide ecological benefits by promoting biodiversity, creating habitats for wildlife, and contributing to a more aesthetically pleasing environment. The design can address practical concerns such as erosion control and mitigating noise or visual impacts from adjacent areas.

While hard structures might support specific landscaping elements, they do not serve the same ecological purpose as a landscape buffer. Decorative plants may enhance the visual appeal but do not inherently provide the functional environmental benefits associated with runoff filtration. Water features can be part of a landscape design but do not define a buffer's primary function in managing runoff. Thus, the correct interpretation of a landscape buffer is its vital role in filtering runoff through strategic planting and design.