Are you interested in protecting your land?
The Safe Water Conservation Collaborative is working with landowners in Jefferson County and Berkeley County, West Virginia to plant riparian buffers that will improve the water quality within the watershed and beyond.
*This program is completed*
In 2021, the Safe Water Conservation Collaborative (SWCC) was awarded a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support the planting of riparian buffers (streamside trees) in Jefferson County and Berkeley County, West Virginia through December 2024. We specified four sub-watersheds of Opequon Creek, Bullskin Run, Back Creek, and Elks Run within these counties to put a particular focus on these areas, but were happy to install these riparian buffers anywhere within Berkeley or Jefferson Counties that would benefit.
We worked with landowners in these two counties who have water on their property that may be in need of a riparian buffer and who wanted to help improve the water quality in their area. We collaborated with landowners to design a planting plan, including specific tree species, and offer support to ensure maintenance for a period following installation, all at no cost to the landowner!
Riparian buffers are strips of vegetation found along the banks of streams, rivers, and other bodies of water and help protect water quality by filtering pollutants and sediment from runoff before it enters the water. They also help stabilize stream banks, reduce erosion and flooding, and provide habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
Essentially, they serve as an amazing natural filtration system between the land and the water helping to purify water and maintain a healthy ecosystem.
While the riparian buffer program we were working on thanks to grant funding from NFWF is now completed, some of our partners may be able to plant riparian buffers through other grant programs. If you're interested in potentially having a streamside tree planting done on your property, inquire below and we'll connect you to our partners to determine if we may be able to help!