Location: Romney, WV
Partners Involved: James River Association & Conservation Services, Inc.
Type of Buffer: Agricultural
Submitted by: James Remuzzi
This project was a priority for watershed restoration given its location in the watershed and history of agriculture. These landowner received funding from NRCS for streamside fencing and tree planting. They then hired Sustainable Solutions for planning and installation of buffer.
One issue identified by Sustainable Solutions was that given the buffers location on the banks of the Potomac River-that the site was going to need a lot of maintenance in order for the trees to survive floods, invasive plant pressure, and overall vegetative growth that would compete with the trees. Based on this field data we developed a tree planting AND 3 yr Maintenance plan that would insure long term success of the project.
Three years later, despite several floods, infestation of Giant Ragweed, and tremendous vegetative growth once the cows were removed- the site has 95% survival of planted trees. This innovative pay for performance approach allows maintenance to be included, maximizes survival of the planted trees, and is the most cost effective means for restoring riparian buffers.
This post Is part of the first annual CCLC Riparian Buffer Month.
For more information check out our page
If you would like to support professional training of landscape professionals in the design, instillation, and maintenance of riparian buffers, please donate today to the CBLP-Buffers scholarship fund. We believe that landscape professionals have a unique ability to directly affect the health of our landscapes- and your donation will directly assist a professional in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to pursue training.
