Buffer planning continues even with the snow falling! The James River Association and our conservation partners are gearing up for spring and fall buffer protection projects.
The Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District is partnering with JRA on a phase 2 buffer project at Springwood Farm in Albemarle County. The first step will include installing live-stock exclusion fencing to exclude the landowner’s Barbados black belly hair sheep from entering a spring and Wards Creek. This spring, JRA and Conservation Services, Inc. will plant a diverse mix of native hardwoods in the riparian areas, as well as allow some wetlands a chance to flourish without the live-stock grazing pressure.
Peter Francisco SWCD is partnering with JRA on a Phase 1 of 2 buffer project at Hundred Year Farm in Cumberland County. The first step has been completed at this beef cattle farm with all of the springs and tributaries of Angola Creek fenced out at buffer widths up to 50’ on many sections. This spring JRA and Conservation Services, Inc. will plant over 600 hardwood seedlings in the riparian buffer areas including some areas to be preserved as prairie meadow habitat.
Landowners, Will Hueston (and Pam Hand) and Lisa Hyatt, Conservation Technician with the Thomas Jefferson SWCD,discuss their live-stock exclusion fencing plan with a map to guide them.
Landowners, John & Joanne Doss, worked with Kelly Snoddy ,Conservation Specialist with the Peter Fransciso SWCD, to develop an Agricultural conservation plan that includes live-stock exclusion fencing, stream crossings, cross fencing and an alternative watering system.
The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) and JRA are partnering on a multi-faceted buffer project at William & Mary’s James Monroe Highland in Albemarle County. The VDOF has started their eradication of Kudzu, an invasive vine, with the ultimate goal of restoring the native hardwood riparian edge and JRA is planning a buffer project to be planted this fall along Massey Creek and James Monroe Highland’s public trail system. This buffer collaboration is just building momentum and other potential conservation partners may include the Rivanna Conservation Alliance bringing their local stream monitoring efforts to the buffer project area.
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation and JRA partnered together to reach out to landowners and get buffer projects installed on conservation easements in the Middle James Watershed. Check out this project highlight of a buffer installed in Albemarle in Fall 2020.
Now accepting applications for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 buffer projects