In 2014, the Upper Susquehanna Coalition (USC) awarded $280,000 to the Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District as part of the Susquehanna Watershed Riparian Buffer Enhancement Program. The grant aimed to increase the acres of riparian forest buffers in the Upper Susquehanna watersheds to meet the goal of 475 buffer acres per year. Funds were used to hire additional staff that will
focus on outreach and coordination efforts of existing buffer programs, and to provide technical assistance in a traditionally underserved area of New York.
The USC and Tioga County SWCD collaborated on workshops, tree plantings and monitoring through the Riparian Buffer Task Force. Throughout the plantings, the Task Force improved buffer health by using tree tubes, herbicides and brush mats to reduce tree mortality. Because of the joint efforts of the groups, they were able to plant successful buffers at Common Thread Farms, Crumb, and J&D Farms.
