Allegheny County Conservation District completed two multi-functional riparian forest buffer projects. First, they planted 2.7 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer at Round Hill Park in Allegheny County. The project cost $17,832. They also planted 0.3 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along Copper Creek in Allegheny County. This project cost $3,215.

Both projects were paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program: https://pacd.org/?page_id=17536 Please direct questions about the program to PACD Program Manager Holly Miller hmiller@pacd.org.

Click here to see more before and after photos from these projects.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

In a cooperative effort, the Beaver County Conservation District and the Zelienople Airport Authority combined forces to improve streams affected by the airport runway project. Although they were rerouted for the runway project, the future is bright for these streams!

Hundreds of native trees and shrubs were planted along streams affected by the runway project in the fall of 2021. This was made possible by a $26,000 grant received by the conservation district through the PACD Multifunctional Riparian Buffer Sub-grant Program.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

Westmoreland Conservation District planted 5.86-acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along Stony Run and its tributaries in Westmoreland County. The project cost $12,157.28 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program: https://pacd.org/?page_id=17536.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

Lancaster County Conservation District completed a 20-acre multi-functional riparian forest buffer project on a dairy farm in Lancaster County. The total cost for the buffer was $66,368 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program. Click here for more information. Contact Holly Miller with questions at hmiller@pacd.org.

Berks County Conservation District planted a total of 1.25 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along Tulpehocken Creek in Berks County. The total cost for the buffer was $12,052.45 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program.  

The project is part of the Tulpehocken Creek Restoration; a collaborative between Berks County Conservation District, PennDOT, AECOM, PA Fish & Boat Commission, and PACD. Drone footage of the restoration project can be viewed on BCCD’s YouTube page.

Video Link Before Planting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjekAwceK8A  

Video Link After Planting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58l0iK1OvNI

Montgomery County Conservation District planted a total of 0.75 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer at the Upper Perkiomen Valley YMCA in Montgomery County. The total cost for the buffer was $10,131.39 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program: https://pacd.org/?page_id=17536

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. 

Armstrong Conservation District planted 3.2 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along two branches of Big Run, a tributary to the Allegheny River. The total cost for the buffer was $31,603.25, which was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org for more information on this sub-grant program.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. 

Monroe County Conservation District and Butler County Conservation District completed buffer projects through PACD’s Multi-functional Buffer Sub-grant Program in May 2021. 

Click here to read the entire article. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org for more information on the buffer sub-grant program.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. 

In March 2020, the Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) was awarded a PACD/PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Sub-grant to complete a 1.5-acre riparian forest buffer along Tulpehocken Creek. Two hundred sixty-five native trees and shrubs were planted to create a riparian buffer 35 to 50 feet wide. The native riparian plantings included edible species, like elderberry and highbush blueberry, and seasonal decorates, like winterberry and red osier dogwood.

A video of the project can be viewed on the BCCD Website at https://youtu.be/jys71IcoyNU. Click here to read the press release. 

Click here to read more about PACD’s Buffer Sub-grant program or contact Amy Brown at abrown@pacd.org.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

This project was funded by PACD’s Multifunctional Riparian Buffer Sub-grant for Conservation Districts program

Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) recently planted a multifunctional riparian buffer along Tulpehocken Creek in conjunction with a stream stabilization project. The buffer included 520 live stakes, 208 shrubs, and 82 trees planted over approximately 1.1 acres. All trees and shrubs outside of the immediate floodway (regular high-water mark) were installed with tree tubes and wood stakes. Trees in the floodway did not receive shelters due to flooding and debris concerns.

BCCD created before and after videos as part of the project and are working on developing a video presentation for the entire project.

Video Link Before Planting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjekAwceK8A

Video Link After Planting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58l0iK1OvNI

Pennsylvania’s conservation districts are encouraged to apply for funding to install multifunctional buffers in conjunction with landowners. Click here https://pacd.org/?page_id=17536 or email Amy Brown at abrown@pacd.org for more information.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.