Three Chesapeake Forest Champions were recognized for their efforts to conserve forests in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed at the Chesapeake Watershed Forum the first week in November.
The Champions are selected through a partnership of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the U.S. Forest Service.
Matt Keefer, an assistant state forester with DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry was recognized as the Forest Champion with the Greatest On The Ground Impact.
Using funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keefer created partnerships with Penn State University and the University of Montana to identify landowners who would likely adopt conservation practices, including riparian forest buffers.
He also created the DCNR Riparian Buffer Advisory Committee at DCNR to provide a forum for restoration professionals to network and share outreach and implementation best practices.
To fund the planting of more forest buffers, Keefer helped develop DCNR’s buffer grant program and is helping the department develop innovative incentives for buffer adoption.
To keep the restoration momentum strong, he championed the creation of the riparian buffer coordinator position at DCNR through, of course, federal and non-governmental partnerships.
Click Here for information about the other award winners.
For more information on the clean water benefits of sustainable forest management, visit the Forests For The Chesapeake Bay Program webpage.
DCNR Grants
To learn more about other available grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation projects, visit DCNR’s Community Conservation Grant Program webpage. A new grant round is opening January 22.
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