Pennsylvania’s Riparian Forest Buffer Initiative DEP Citizens Advisory Council May 17, 2016

1. Conserving Penn’s Woods Pennsylvania’s Riparian Forest Buffer Initiative DEP Citizens Advisory Council May 17, 2016

2. Outline • DCNR Chesapeake Bay work • Chesapeake Bay forest buffer goal • Our current ideas

3. DCNR/Chesapeake Bay Work • Recreation and public access • Education and outreach • Land conservation • Urban tree planting (TreeVitalize) • Riparian Forest Buffers

4. What is a riparian forest buffer?

5. Slide courtesy Nick DiPasquale

6. Slide courtesy Nick DiPasquale

7. Slide courtesy Nick DiPasquale

8. Slide courtesy Nick DiPasquale

9. PA Success story • 54,000 acres of RFBs • 24,000 acres established through CREP • PA Stream ReLeaf • Growing Greener • Many partners • Accomplished at the local level

10. PA RFB Accomplishments

11. Slide courtesy Nick DiPasquale

12. Slide courtesy Nick DiPasquale

13. Recent Federal and State Responses • 2014 RFB Leadership Summit in D.C. • State Tasks Forces • Heavy focus on CREP • Asked for State RFB Leads • 2014 Chesapeake Bay Agreement • Management strategy and 2-year work plans

14. PA 2-Year Work Plan • Leadership and collaboration • RFB Advisory Committee (March 28 and June 2) • Funding and resources for new and innovative approaches  • Complement existing programs • Flexibility and simplicity • Importance of maintenance

15. PA 2-Year Work Plan • Communication, outreach, and technical assistance • Messaging, DCNR Foresters, social science • Planning to prioritize efforts • Technology and partners • Improve efficiency

19. Conserving Penn’s Woods Multi-use Riparian Forest Buffer Program Concept DEP Citizens Advisory Council May 17, 2016

20. Purpose • Help PA reach Bay goal of 95,000 new acres of RFBs by 2025 • Complement, but not duplicate, existing programs – CREP, EQIP • Hallmarks include greater flexibility in landowner eligibility, buffer designs, widths, plant species • Income-producing opportunities will be explored

21. Funder

22. Partner Roles • DCNR – Forestry technical assistance, grant administration • The Nature Conservancy (pending) – Technical assistance on targeting, mapping, general site characterization • Watershed/county partners – Landowner outreach, buffer designs, landowner agreements, oversee implementation and maintenance • Penn State Ag. Extension – Social data mining to determine socio-economic and cultural attributes of landowners inclined to participate in buffer programs; also agroforestry technical assistance • DEP – verification and reporting

23. Pilot Program DCNR developing pilot sites to test-run the program • Yellow Breeches watershed in Cumberland/York counties • Lost Creek watershed in Juniata County • 3-4 State Park locations • Municipal and county parks

24. Multi-use Riparian Forest Buffer Design Zones 2 and 3 can be planted with different species and at expanded widths to incorporate perennial crops of fruits, nuts, and floral trees and shrubs.

25. Costs Covered • Tree and shrub plant materials, tree tubes, stakes, trellises, etc. • Site prep and buffer installation • Maintenance for 3 years • NO rental payments to landowners • Income-producing plants based on series of approved plant materials with new or established markets • 20-year MOUs to participate • Separate funding for livestock fencing, if applicable

26. Potential Funding Sources 1. Grants – direct grants to third parties, no rental payments and no payback requirement • Current and future Growing Greener and Keystone funding • Private foundation funding 2. Revolving fund or investment funded – requires income-generating plants with payback of principal and/or interest • State revolving funds • Third-party investors • Program-related investments (PRIs) – third-party vendor guarantees payback 3. Credits – downstream neighboring states, carbon credits, nutrient credits, stormwater credits

27. Elderberry • Berries: $3/lb retail • Juice: $15-17/11 oz jar • Syrup: $18/4 oz jar retail • Wine: $10-13/bottle retail • Cough drops: $2.50/15 retail • Concentrate: $25 per 375 ml • Cuttings: $1-2.50 • Plants: $5.00 each USDA National Agroforestry Center Farming the Woods, Ken Mudge and Steve Gabriel Fairfax County Public Schools continuumhealing.com

28. Woody florals • Redosier dogwood, pussy willow, etc. • Cuttings: $0.37-0.45/stem retail, some species up to $6/stem • Wreaths: $45+ each retail • Willows can generate up to $56K/acre and live 20+ years USDA National Agroforestry Center University of Kentucky gardensofgrowth.com

29. Pros and Cons Pros: • Additional tool in the toolbox • Wider landowner applicant pool • Landowner motivated by plant-generated income – better care and maintenance • “Designer” buffers can be shaped to landowner preference • Variable widths adjust to parcel Cons: • Contract is voluntary • Income and results may vary • Payback process may be hard

30. Questions? Sara Nicholas Policy Director, DCNR snicholas@pa.gov Matt Keefer Assistant State Forester, DCNR makeefer@pa.gov