Conclusions: Wooded riparian zones can reduce stream temperatures, particularly in terms of maximum
temperatures. Because temperature is known to affect fish, amphibian and invertebrate life history, the reported
effect sizes are likely to have a biological significance for the stream biotic community. Consequently investment in
creation of wooded riparian zones might provide benefits in terms of mitigating some of the ecological effects of
climate change on water temperature. Considerable uncertainty lies in the environmental variables that may modify
the cooling effect of wooded riparian zones, and therefore it is not possible to identify when the use of this
intervention for cooling would be most valuable.