FS769 - Riparian Buffer Financial Assistance Opportunities

FS769

2002

Riparian Buffer Financial Assistance Opportunities

by Lori Lynch, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland, and Robert Tjaden, Regional Extension Specialist, Wye Research and Education Center; Fact Sheet 769

Introduction

Riparian buffers reduce the amount of nonpoint source pollution entering wetlands, lakes, and streams. Buffers also provide fish and wildlife habitats and preserve the ecosystem of the waterways. The Chesapeake Bay Executive Council, tasked with reducing nutrient loading in the Bay, set a goal of establishing 2,010 miles of riparian forest buffers within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by the year 2010, through voluntary incentive-based programs. The state of Maryland set a goal of establishing 600 miles of riparian forest buffer by 2010.

Programs Available for Financial Assistance

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Landowners interested in creating riparian buffers can take advantage of cost-share programs available for establishing buffers. The most notable is the USDA-CREP (United States Department of Agriculture - Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program). Under this program, landowners who have cropped their agricultural land two out of the past five years or who have marginal pasture that will be converted to trees are eligible for cost-share funding, as well as an annual rental payment for a minimum of ten years up to a maximum of fifteen. The rental payment is based on the landowner's county and the soil types found on the farm. There is also an additional incentive for planting trees and grasses, a 100 percent rental bonus for planting trees and a 80 percent rental bonus for planting grasses in the riparian area.

In cooperation with USDA-CREP, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Maryland Department of Agriculture will provide up to 100 percent cost sharing to establish forested buffers and up to 95 percent cost sharing to establish grass buffers. Cost share is also available for livestock watering systems and fence and stream crossings, if necessary for successful buffer establishment. Since there are many organizations offering financial help, it is important you work with your local FSA (Farm Service Agency) and NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) offices. They will provide information on available programs and assist you with the program details and sign-up process. In addition to these cost-share programs, landowners have the option of putting a permanent easement on the land and receiving a lump-sum payment calculated by an established formula. In this case, the riparian area would have to remain a vegetated buffer forever with limited rights to harvest the timber or grass.

Additional cost-share programs to assist landowners in establishing buffers and other conservation practices include the following:

Since there are many financial cost-share programs available to assist landowners in establishing riparian buffers, it is important to contact the right organization and people. Usually your first contact would be your local FSA or NRCS county office. They can initiate the paperwork necessary to start your request for financial funding and help you in identifying the natural resource management professionals you will need to assist you. These resource professionals (such as your local forester, wildlife biologist, soil conservationist, or extension educator) can assist you in making riparian buffer management decisions and help explain the options available to you. The following table lists key contacts in your county who can identify the cost-share assistance programs available to you and also help you make management decisions.

The USDA-NRCS website has the latest details for acceptable conservation practices for many of the programs described above. (National Handbook of Conservation Practices) at http://www.ncg.nrcs.usda.gov/index.html.

We wish to thank Patty Engler of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and Anne Hairston-Strang of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for their review and comments on this document.

Maryland-Sources of Information and Assistance

County	Maryland DNR Forest Service	Farm Services Agency	Natural Resource Conservation Service	Maryland Cooperative Extension
State Office	Tawes State Office Building,580 Taylor Ave., E-1,Annapolis, MD 21401 410-260-8531	8335 Guilford Rd., Ste. E,Columbia, MD 21046 410-381-4550	John Hanson Business Center339 Busch's Frontage Rd., Ste. 301,Annapolis, MD 21401 410-757-0861	1200 Symons Hall,University of Maryland,College Park, MD 20742 301-405-2907
Allegany	Western Regional Office,3 Pershing St., Rm. 101,Cumberland, MD 21502 301-777-2137	11602 Bedford Rd., NECumberland, MD 21502 301-777-1536	11602 Bedford Rd., NECumberland, MD 21502 301-777-1494	112 Baltimore St., Ste. 204,Cumberland, MD 21502 301-724-3320
Anne Arundel	Forestry Education Center,8023 Long Hill Rd.,Pasadena, MD 21122 410-768-0830	County Administration Bldg.,14741 Gov. Oden Bowie Dr.,Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 410-574-5162	2662 Riva Rd., Ste. 150,Annapolis, MD 21401 410-222-7822	Anne Arundel County Government Office Bldg.,7320 Ritchie Hwy., Ste. 210,Glen Burnie, MD 21061 410-222-6757
Baltimore	Cub Hill Ranger Station,9405 Old Harford Rd.,Baltimore, MD 21234 410-665-5820	9831 Van Buren Ln.,Cockeysville, MD 21030 410-666-1188	9831 Van Buren Ln.,Cockeysville, MD 21030 410-666-1188	9811 Van Buren Ln.,Cockeysville, MD 21030 410-666-1022
Calvert	P.O. Box 1136,Prince Frederick, MD 20678 301-535-1303	65 Duke St., Rm. 108,P.O. Box 589,Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535-1790	65 Duke St., Rm. 106,P.O. Box 657,Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535-1521	150 Main St., Ste. 300,P.O. Box 486,Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535-3662
Caroline	Caroline/Talbot Counties,Martinak State Park,105 Deep Shore Rd.,Denton, MD 21629 410-479-1623	640 Legion Rd., Ste. 2,Denton, MD 21629 410-479-1202	640 Legion Rd., Ste. 3,Denton, MD 21629 410-479-2182	207 S. Third St.,Denton, MD 21629 410-479-4030
Carroll	328A E. Nicodemus Rd.,Westminster, MD 21157 410-848-9290	1004 Littlestown Pike, Ste. C,Westminster, MD 21157 410-848-2780	1004 Littlestown Pike, Ste. B2,Westminster, MD 21157 410-848-6696	700 Agricultural Center,Westminster, MD 21157 410-386-2760
Cecil	Black Hill Ranger Station,130 McKinneyton Rd.,North East, MD 21901 410-287-5777	105 Chesapeake Blvd., Ste. B-2,Elkton, MD 21921 410-398-4411	105 Chesapeake Blvd., Ste. B-3,Elkton, MD 21921 410-398-4411	County Office Building,P.O. Box 326,Elkton, MD 21922 410-996-5280
Charles	P.O. Box 2746,LaPlata, MD 20646 301-934-2543	P.O. Box 2685,101 Catalpa Dr., Ste. 106-A,La Plata, MD 20646 301-934-2611	101 Catalpa Dr., Ste. 106-C,La Plata, MD 20646 301-934-9588	9375 Chesapeake St.,Ste. 119,La Plata, MD 20646 301-934-5403
Dorchester	4329 Golden Hill Rd.,Church Creek, MD 21622 410-228-1861	501 Court Ln.,Cambridge, MD 21613410-228-5640	501 Court Ln., Rm. 213,Cambridge, MD 21613 410-228-3733	501 Court Ln.,P.O. Box 299,Cambridge, MD 21613 410-228-8800
Frederick	8602 Gambrill Rd.,Frederick, MD 21702 301-473-8417	92 Thomas Johnson Dr.,Ste. 240,Frederick, MD 21702 301-662-1321	92 Thomas Johnson Dr.,Ste. 230,Frederick, MD 21702 301-695-2803	330 Montevue Ln.,Frederick, MD 21702 301-694-1594
Garrett	1728 Kings Run Rd.,Oakland, MD 21550 301-334-3296	1916 Maryland Hwy., Ste. B,Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550 301-334-6954	1916 Maryland Hwy., Ste. C,Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550 301-334-6950	1916 Maryland Hwy., Ste. A,Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550 301-334-6960
Harford	Central Regional Office,2 S. Bond St.,Bel Air, MD 21014 410-836-4551	19 Newport Dr.,Ste. 104,Forest Hill, MD 21050 410-838-3950	19 Newport Dr.,Ste. 103,Forest Hill, MD 21050 410-838-6181	2335 Rock Spring Rd.,P.O. Box 663,Forest Hill, MD 21050 410-638-3255
Howard	Howard/Montgomery Project Forester,17400 Annapolis Rock Rd.,Woodbine, MD 21797 410-442-2080	18410 Muncaster Rd.,Derwood, MD 20855 301-590-2846	708 Lisbon Center Dr., Ste. E,Woodbine, MD 21797 410-489-7987	3525-L Ellicott Mills Dr.,Ellicott City, MD 21043 410-313-2707
Kent	Kent/Queen Anne=s Project Forester120 Broadway Ave.Centreville, MD 21617 410-758-5258	122 Speer Rd., Ste. 3,Chestertown, MD 21620 410-778-5353	122 Speer Rd., Ste. 4,Chestertown, MD 21620 410-778-5353	Kent County Public Works Complex,709 Morgnec Rd., Ste. 202,Chestertown, MD 21620 410-778-1661
Montgomery	Howard/Montgomery Project Forester,17400 Annapolis Rock Rd.,Woodbine, MD 21797 410-442-2080	18410 Muncaster Rd.,Derwood, MD 20855 301-590-2846	18410 Muncaster Rd.,Derwood, MD 20855 301-590-2855	18410 Muncaster Rd.,Derwood, MD 20855 301-590-9638
Prince George	Huntington Community Center,13022 8th St.,Bowie, MD 20720 301-464-3065	County Administration Bldg.,14741 Gov. Oden Bowie Dr.,Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 410-574-5162	14741 Gov. Oden Bowie Dr., Rm. 1020,Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 301-574-5162	6707 Groveton Dr.,Clinton, MD 20735 301-868-9366
Queen Anne	Kent/Queen Anne=s Project Forester,120 Broadway Ave.,Centreville, MD 21617 410-758-5254	505 Railroad Ave., Ste. 2,Centreville, MD 21617 410-758-1380	505 Railroad Ave., Ste. 3,Centreville, MD 21617 410-758-1671	505 Railroad Ave., Ste. 4,Centreville, MD 21617 410-758-0166
St. Mary	Carter Building,Leonardtown, MD 20650 301-475-8551	P.O. Box 268,22660 Washington St.,Leonardtown, MD 20650 301-475-8431	P.O. Box 810,22660 Washington St.,Leonardtown, MD 20650 301-475-5856	21580 Peabody St., Rm. 61,P.O. Box 663,Leonardtown, MD 20650 301-475-4482
Somerset	10990 Market Ln.,Princess Anne, MD 21853 410-651-2004	30730 Park Dr.,Princess Anne, MD 21853 410-651-0370	30730 Park Dr.,Princess Anne, MD 21853 410-651-0370	30730 Park Dr.,Princess Anne, MD 21853 410-651-1350
Talbot	Caroline/Talbot Project Forester,105 Deep Shore Rd.,Denton, MD 21629 410-479-1623	215 Bay St.,Easton, MD 21601 410-822-1344	215 Bay St.,Easton, MD 21601 410-822-1577	P.O. Box 519,Easton, MD 21601 410-822-1244
Washington	14038 Blairs Valley Rd.,Clear Springs, MD 21722 301-791-4733	1260 Maryland Ave., Ste. 107,Hagerstown, MD 21740 301-797-0500	1260 Maryland Ave., Ste. 101,Hagerstown, MD 21740 301-797-6820	7303 Sharpsburg Pike,Boonsboro, MD 21713 301-791-1304
Wicomico	Powellville Work Center,6905 Sixty Foot Rd.,Parsonsburg, MD 21849 410-543-1950	2322B Goddard Pkwy.,Ste. 2,Salisbury, MD 21801 410-546-4777	2322B Goddard Pkwy.,Ste. 3,Salisbury, MD 21801 410-546-4777	28647 Old Quantico Rd.,P.O. Box 1836,Salisbury, MD 21802 410-749-6141
Worcester	6572 Snow Hill Rd.,Snow Hill, MD 21863 410-632-1955	304 Commerce St.,Snow Hill, MD 21863 410-632-5439	304 Commerce St.,Snow Hill, MD 21863 410-632-5439	River St.,P.O. Box 219,Snow Hill, MD 21863 410-632-1972