Stream and Riparian Buffer Restoration

The Trust is restoring streams and riparian buffers mainly focusing on important watersheds throughout Pennsylvania.  We have been awarded grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Program, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, and Blair County Conservation District’s Riparian Buffer Restoration Program.  Our restorations incorporate natural stream channel design principles to reduce erosion and non-point source pollution, provide important habitat for riparian species such as native brook trout, and improve the recreational experiences and quality of life for local community members.  

Installation of a mudsill on Piney Creek near Williamsburg, PA (Blair County). This structure restores eroded stream bank and returns the stream to an appropriate width. Stability and protection during high velocity flows is increased, while creating compartmentalized overhead cover for fish species.

Since our founding in 2009, we have completed the restoration of over 29,000 linear feet of streams and riparian buffers throughout our focus areas in Pennsylvania. The Trust works in close partnership with our local farmers, landowners, and partners to deliver a targeted, comprehensive landscape approach to the improvement of water quality in these critical watersheds. We have been able to share our our mission, “to foster science education, landscape restoration, habitat conservation, and innovative agriculture to promote sustainable communities and environmental stewardship” amongst our new landowners, surrounding neighbors, volunteer groups, and other partners that have been involved along the way.

Riparian buffer restoration is often part of our stream restoration projects. Planting native species helps to anchor vulnerable soils, as well as diversifies current vegetative conditions. Riparian buffers are vital when reducing sedimentation and runoff, both improving water quality.