The emphasis of this symposium is the management of endangered, threatened, and other sensitive bird species in western riparian habitats. Riparian areas are limited in their extent, yet are extremely productive and have well-documented wildlife values (Gaines 1977; Johnson and Jones 1977; Stevens et al. 1977; Warner and Hendrix 1984).
This paper examines the nature of riparian systems from historical and current perspectives, describes the importance of riparian habitats to sensitive bird species, and briefly explores the laws, policies, and regulations designed to protect these habitats.