A riparian forest buffer can be designed & managed to provide ecoysystem services including water-quality protection, greenhouse gas mitigation & climate adaptation.
LAKE ERIE CREP CP 22: Riparian Riparian buffers Forest Buffer are one of the most USDA is an equal opportunity important tools that provider, employer, and lender. farmers, ranchers & [OH.-20] • [December 2020] land managers can use to help improve water quality.
Plant a diversity of trees, shrubs, grasses & forbs to establish a
riparian buffers along [Ohio] streams, ponds & wetlands.
nrcs.usda.gov/ the Service Center closest to you at www.farmers.gov/ LAKE ERIE CREP service-center-locator. CP 22: Riparian Forest Buffer Practice Requirements Location Enrolled area must be adjacent to a stream, Controlled Drainage Available with existing subsurface river or eligible drainage ditch. Eligible drainage ditch is drainage systems defined as having a minimum bottom width of 3 feet and minimum side slope ratio of 2 to 1. Trees or shrubs must be planted within 15 feet of top of bank. Enrolled area Benefits & Functions must be eligible cropland or eligible marginal pastureland.
A riparian forest buffer is an area adjacent to a stream, Width Minimum enrolled tree width of CP22 shall be 35 lake, or wetland that contains a combination of trees, feet. Maximum width in cropland is 150’ (300’ in alluvial shrubs, and/or other perennial plants and is managed soils) and 300’ in marginal pastureland. Appropriate width differently from the surrounding landscape, primarily to shall be determined according to stream size and provide conservation benefits. guidance provided in Conservation Practice Standard #391. Riparian forest buffers can deliver a number benefits including filtering nutrients, pesticides, and animal waste Vegetation Vegetation on Zones 1 and 2 of CP22 riparian Payment width for CP22: Maximum total payment width = 150 feet from agricultural land runoff; stabilizing eroding banks; tree planting shall consist of approximately 75% native (300 feet in alluvial soils or for marginal pastureland) filtering sediment from runoff; providing shade, shelter, hardwood trees and may include up to 25% native shrubs and food for fish and other aquatic organisms; providing or softwoods. Species shall be according to the forester’s wildlife habitat and corridors for recommendation and planting plan. Tree species and terrestrial organisms; protecting spacing shall be per Appendix B, Tree/Shrub Program Overview cropland and downstream Recommendations, NRCS Field Office Tech Guide Payment Rate 125% Base CRP Rental Rate communities from flood damage; (FOTG). producing income from farmland State SWCD/ODA Bonus Payment $200 per acre for the that is frequently flooded or has A grass strip (Zone 3) is allowed next to the crop field to following riparian practices: CP3A, CP4D, CP22, CP29 & poor yields; providing space control ephemeral erosion and intercept sheet flow. Width CP30 for recreation; and diversifying can be up to 25% of the tree width, not to exceed 40 feet. landowner income. This strip is considered part of the Riparian Forest Payment Duration 15 years Practice. Grass shall be a four species mix of cool or warm season grasses, legumes, or forbs best suited to Contract Duration 15 years Establishment of riparian plants depends on proper wildlife per Appendix A, FOTG. Practice Esbalishment 50% cost-share and 40% Practice selection of species, plant Incentive Payment (PIP) material procurerment and Controlled Drainage Option Where feasible and handling, planting location and desired by the landowner, a controlled drainage water Signing Incentive Pay (SIP) $150 per acre (one-time establishment techniques. management system may be installed as part of this payment) practice. These systems must be designed and used to The Natural Resources benefit water quality and are applicable only where there Allowable Width 150 feet (300 feet in alluvial soils) Conservation Service can help is existing subsurface drainage systems. you plan, establish and manage Type of Cover Native Hardwood Trees & Shrubs riparian buffers. Contact your Practice Spec Practice and vegetation shall conform to local USDA Service Center for more information. Find NRCS FOTG Spec #391, Riparian Forest Buffer.