Departamento de Conservación y Recreación (DCR) Conservar. Proteger. Disfrutar.
Departamento de Conservación y Recreación (DCR) 
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Consultas de los medios de comunicación: Por favor, póngase en contacto con Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: January 08, 2026
Contact: Matt Sabas, Senior PR and Marketing Specialist, 804-786-2292, matthew.sabas@dcr.virginia.gov
$2 million awarded for riparian buffer maintenance projects in Virginia
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation today announced $2 million in awards for the maintenance of forested buffers to grantees located throughout the commonwealth.
Riparian forested buffers, which are forested areas adjacent to streams and waterways, are critical to protecting water quality by serving as a natural filtration system. Buffers trap sediment, nutrients and pollutants from agricultural runoff before they enter waterways. Vegetation also stabilizes stream banks, reducing harmful erosion and sedimentation, and when mature will provide shade to help reduce summertime water temperatures.
“One of the most common concerns voiced by producers and other stakeholders is difficulty in maintaining a planted forested buffer,” said James Martin, DCR division director of Soil and Water Conservation. “It is time-intensive to maintain and financially significant if the planted trees die. To be adequately maintained, planted forest buffers need to be treated for invasive species, mowed to ensure that the trees have less competition for resources, planting materials need to be replaced when damaged and dead trees need to be replanted.”
In 2023, DCR received $2 million in an earmark in the Water Quality Improvement Fund to provide additional incentives for the maintenance of riparian buffers by agricultural producers. In August 2025, DCR issued a request for proposals for these funds. The application period closed Oct. 1, 2025.
DCR received five proposals for funding buffer maintenance projects. The agency is recommending funding for each of the proposals received. This is a unique, one-time funding opportunity.
These awards are specifically for the maintenance of existing riparian forest buffers; the establishment of new forested buffers is not an eligible activity. Maintenance activities may include, but are not limited to mowing, survival checks, replanting due to mortality loss, invasive species management and tree shelter maintenance.
The list of awarded projects is available in the below table:
|
Organización |
Amount recommended for funding |
Counties covered |
|
Asociación del Río James |
ps 822 , 605 |
Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Buckingham, Campbell, Chesterfield, Craig, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Henrico, Highland, Nelson, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward, and Rockbridge [Middle and Upper James watersheds] |
|
Amigos del Rappahannock |
ps 542 , 781 |
Caroline, Culpeper, Essex, Fauquier, Gloucester, Greene, Hanover, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Louisa, Loudoun, Madison, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Orange, Rappahannock, Richmond, Stafford, Spotsylvania and Westmoreland. [Rappahannock and York watersheds] |
|
Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley |
ps 272 , 604 |
Augusta, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren |
|
Conservación del Río Nuevo |
ps 100 , 000 |
Carroll, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe [New River watershed] |
|
Distrito de Conservación de Suelos y Aguas del Río Nuevo |
ps 262 , 010 |
Carroll and Grayson |
|
Total |
$2,000,000 |
|
Funding for the establishment of riparian buffers on agricultural lands is available through the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share (VACS) Program.
To learn more about DCR’s soil and water conservation programs and other opportunities for funding, please visit https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/.
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