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Backyard Buffer Program Washington County, Maryland Emilie Cooper Watershed Forester Western Maryland RC&D ecooper@dnr.state.md.us. Backyard Buffers Project Overview. Backyard Buffers? History WMRC&D BYB Survey Opportunities. Backyard Buffers: What?.
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Backyard Buffer ProgramWashington County, Maryland Emilie CooperWatershed ForesterWestern Maryland RC&Decooper@dnr.state.md.us
Backyard Buffers Project Overview • Backyard Buffers? • History • WMRC&D BYB • Survey • Opportunities
Backyard Buffers: What? • Conservation– Watershed protection Education – Information and contact Beautification – Trees in the ground • Assistance program for small property landowners to plant native trees and shrubs along waterways on their property.
Backyard Buffer Beginnings • 2002 - Maryland Department of Natural Resources • Lake Linganore Watershed- drinking water reservoir for the City of Frederick • Increased participation • 2003 (32) 2008 (115)
WMRC&D Approach • Funding • Chesapeake Bay Trust Mini-grant • 2007 & 2008 • Landowners- Wash Co. • Tax office • Brochures • Tree Supply • Maryland DNR Forest Service Nursery
Washington County • 2007 • 69 participants • 2008 • 89 participants • How to Locate landowners: • Tax office direct mailings • Brochure • Newspaper Advertisement • Word of mouth
What do you get? Buffer-in-a-bag • 25 bare root seedlings • 5 native species • Terra-sorb material Example trees and shrubs used: hazelnut, redbud, pin oak, green ash, winterberry, elderberry, persimmon
What do you get? Packet of information • Care and maintenance • Riparian buffer importance • Additional resources (SCD, ACWA, DNR)
What do you get? Tree Tubes • needed for deer management • used from old CREP plantings • Included list of stake suppliers in packet
2008 Survey • Recommended by CBT • Sent to 69 landowners • (2007 participants) • Completion required for 2008 trees • 38% return
Survey Results • 55% average survival • Reason for mortality- deer and drought • Most landowners would have taken more trees • All would recommend BYB to others • What should they have done… mow, deer protection, water, and mark with a flag • Trees they would like to get – willow, dogwood, sycamore, oak, serviceberry
Successes and Future • Trees in the ground • Appx. 7,000 trees and shrubs • < 8 acres • Made direct contact with landowners • Increased education • Re-use tree tubes • Future Ideas • Newspaper write-up • Possible program for volunteer group • Example AWA – Buffer-in-a-box • Bag varieties- Wildlife cover, bird lovers…
Thanks! Emilie Cooper Western Maryalnd RC&D Coordinator- Tim Hann P.O. Box 489, Funkstown, MD 21734 301-733-2973 www.wmrcd.org