Farmland Conservation - Octoraro Watershed
Octoraro Lake is an important area for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife in Pennsylvania. Large tracts of farm lands and meandering streams attract a multitude of wetland birds. But over the years the lake's aquatic plants, water quality and wildlife have declined as a result of farm runoff bringing excessive sediment and pollutants from surrounding lands.
Goals
The Octoraro Watershed Association and Ducks Unlimited sought to work with Amish farmers in the area to improve watershed stewardship, especially farmland conservation. The goal is return the lake to, or at least close to, its original water quality condition; bringing back the aquatic plants will bring back migratory birds and the overall health of the lake and streams.
Process
With a Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Octoraro Watershed Association (OWA) initiated an effort get farmland conservation practices implemented. Ducks Unlimited biologists, working with OWA and local conservation districts developed project plans to restore the watershed. The plans included installing stream bank fencing and planting native forested and grassed buffers along streams that show signs of erosion from overgrazing.
The Amish community had not been receptive to past government farmland conservation efforts, yet their geographic location virtually guarantees their farming activities will have an impact on both the Susquehanna River and the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay. Private citizen's groups have built links and long-term relationships with the Amish community. Building on this foundation of trust, it was possible to engage individual Amish farmers in conservation efforts through the Small Watershed Grant project.
Outcome
The partnership has focused on implementing specific management practices, in particular fencing to keep cows out of streams and restoring wetlands on working agricultural lands. To date 28 acres of wetlands and 2.08 miles of fencing have been installed by this Small Watershed Grant project. Through the program, farmers also learn about other effective practices that can improve water quality and wildlife habitat.
Many partners have also joined in the project, including the Chester Water Authority, Lancaster Farmland Trust, Brandywine Conservancy, Lancaster County Agricultural Preserve Board, Chester County Agricultural Preserve Board, Lancaster County Conservation District and Chester County Conservation District and Ducks Unlimited.
More Information
Octoraro Watershed Association
Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants - pdf (228 kb)