By working with landowners, the Conservancy is able to provide practical solutions to those looking to maximize protection of their creeks and streams. For example, in the Monocacy watershed, we work with farmers and others who request help in planting trees along their waterways and in fencing out cattle and other livestock from these ecologically important areas.
We provide a full range of services. From hiring the contractor to plan the trees and put up the fence, to referring interested landowners to federal and state cost share conservation programs like CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program).
CREP is a voluntary program that hopes to achieve the enhancement of water-quality by excluding livestock from streams and stream banks by creating a forested buffer zone. CREP is a program that combines state and federal funding to offer qualified farmers assistance with the installation of buffers as well as a rental payment for the land which has been removed from production. Potomac Conservancy works Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland educating landowners on this important program and helps get them connected with the local program specialist.
- In Virginia, the Potomac Conservancy has been working with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VA DCR) to permanently protect these CREP buffers with permanent conservation easement agreements. The Conservancy serves as the primary contractor for DCR in the Northern Shenandoah Valley Region, and works with eligible landowners and DCR to complete these projects.
- In Maryland, we work closely with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) among others, to help enroll people in the CREP program. Enrollees generally agree to maintain a vegetated buffer of between 35'-50' from their streams. If the stream and buffer is on pastureland, the area is also fenced to keep cattle out. Landowners agree to a 10-15 year contract and in turn receive a yearly rental payment. As this is a cost share program, there is some cost to the landowner, but it is often offset by available signing bonuses.
Recent and ongoing projects:
- To date the Conservancy has worked with VADCR to close permanent easements on over 43 acres of important riparian habitat, another 33-acres are expected to close by spring 2008.
- In the Monocacy watershed in Frederick County, MD, Conservancy staff have overseen:
- Over 3 miles of stream bank buffers
- 23.9 acres of planted forest buffers
- Over a half mile of fencing to keep livestock out of our streams