The Blair County Conservation District will be offering grants up to $15,000 to Blair County landowners interested in establishing riparian buffers. Riparian buffers can be a combination of grasses, plants, trees, and shrubs which are planted as permanent vegetation along a stream, river, pond or lake. These buffers will aid in stabilizing eroded banks, act as natural filters of stormwater run-off and will provide wildlife habitat while reducing in stream temperature (a preference of our local trout). Grant awards will follow the District's Wetland Mitigation Account Policy with each site evaluated on the District's Riparian Buffer Program Application Procedures and Evaluation.
This just added, the District has extended its application period through Spring 2012. Proposals will need to be submitted to the District office no later than March 30. Interested individuals are ask to contact the District's Watershed Specialist, Jim Eckenrode at jeckenrode@blairconservationdistrict.org for more information.
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary conservation program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by:
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Improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities; and |
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Undertaking additional conservation activities. |
CSP is available in Pennsylvania on private agricultural lands and non-industrial forest land. The program provides equitable access to all producers, regardless of operation size, crops produced, or geographic location.
For more information on the Conservation Stewardship Program check out the attached CSP fact sheet or visit the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service program page