We evaluated the efficacy of variable-retention (VR) riparian buffers to maintain the water quality and fish habitat attributes of small headwater streams as part of a large six-year before-after-control-impact study of logging in the sub-boreal forests of British Columbia. These streams can be important spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids as well as sources of cool water, nutrients, organic matter and invertebrate drift for downstream fish habitats. VR buffers were proposed as an economic and ecologically-sustainable alternative to the current practice of no mandatory riparian buffers. Buffers tested required retention of a minimum 10 merchantable stems per 100 m of stream with a 5-m machine-free zone. VR buffers were unable to maintain natural levels of shade and litterfall. Future large woody debris inputs were proportionately reduced. Water chemistry and turbidity changes were highly variable and unrelated to the riparian treatments. The streams are naturally unproductive and treatment effects on the periphyton, benthic invertebrates, invertebrate drift and fish populations were subtle. Overall, the VR buffers were unable to maintain many of the fish habitat attributes of the streams and higher levels of riparian retention are required to maintain these characteristics for sub-boreal headwater streams that support fish.