Master Watershed Stewards In York County Plant Riparian Forest Buffer In Park

By Jodi Sulpizio, Master Watershed Steward Coordinator, York County

Master Watershed Stewards partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Jackson Township to plant a riparian buffer at Little Creek Community Park.

Riparian forest buffers, vegetated areas next to streams, rivers, and other water bodies, are essential for healthy streams.  

During rain events, sediments, nutrients, and other pollutants run off the land into Pennsylvania’s streams, rivers, and lakes. 

The trees and other vegetation in the buffer intercept stormwater runoff, filter pollutants, help stabilize stream banks preventing erosion, provide shade, increase groundwater recharge, help control flooding, and provide wildlife habitat in and around the stream.

Planting riparian buffers is a key strategy used to protect Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers. 

To help York County do their part in reducing nutrients and other pollution from entering the Chesapeake Bay, Master Watershed Stewards partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Jackson Township to plant a riparian buffer at Little Creek Community Park. 

A stream restoration project was recently completed in the park. Stewards added an additional 275 native trees and shrubs to the open space along the stream corridor. 

Part of the planting includes a “food forest.” How exciting! Species such as hickory, maple, paw paw, elderberry, persimmon, and more were planted. 

Stewards are eager to create educational materials to help park users learn about the vast benefits of riparian buffers as well as foods produced by native trees and shrubs. 

The park will also have areas of lawn converted to meadow, another win-win for the environment, including wildlife and pollinators!

The project was funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources. 

To learn more about the many benefits of riparian forest buffers, visit the following links:

-- Penn State Extension Water Resources

-- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - Riparian Forest Buffers

-- PA DCNR - Riparian Forest Buffers

[How Clean Is Your Stream?

[DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.]

-- Master Watershed Steward Program Invites You To Support A Local Watershed Steward Now And During Dec. 1 Giving Tuesday

(Reprinted from the Nov. 24 Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

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[Posted: November 24, 2020]  PA Environment Digest