Forest Buffers

Progress

Recent Progress: Decrease

During the 2024 reporting year, approximately 227 miles of riparian forest buffers were planted in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This marks a decrease from the previous three years’ planting rate, which had increased in response to improved reporting and increased investments in buffer programs. The 2024 planting represents 25.2% of the annual 900-mile target, returning the watershed to a near-average rate of forest buffer implementation.

Outlook: Off Course

The Forest Buffers Outcome is currently off course. The pace and scale of forest buffer implementation are insufficient to achieve the ambitious targets set forth in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and in states’ Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs). The Chesapeake Bay Program has not met its annual restoration target for riparian forest buffers since 2002, often achieving less than 10% of the 900 mile-per-year goal. According to land use/land cover data from 2021/2022, 69.96% of riparian areas in the watershed are forested, leaving a 1,753-acre gap to reach the 70% forested goal. Between 2013/2014 and 2021/2022, however, the region saw a net loss of 41,941 riparian forest acres.

Loading Chart

Annual Plantings

Of the 227 miles of forest buffers restored in 2024, 111 miles were reported in Pennsylvania, 43 miles were reported in Virginia, 34 miles were reported in New York, 25 miles were reported in Maryland, 13 miles were reported in West Virginia and less than 1 mile was reported in Delaware.

While planting rates in Pennsylvania and Virginia saw significant increases in 2022 and 2023, progress in 2024—25.2% of the 900-mile-per-year target—was closer to the average planting rate that has been observed since the signing of the 2014 Watershed Agreement—29% of the 900-mile-per-year target. These prior increases were likely due to accounting for previously unreported acres, particularly in Virginia, and increasing investments in flexible buffer programs, particularly in Pennsylvania. Indeed, there is growing momentum to expand flexible buffer programs. While the Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) remains essential, flexible buffer programs are particularly effective as they provide funding on a rolling basis rather than through an annual competitive grant process, offer buffers to both agricultural and non-agricultural landowners, provide maintenance and minimize or eliminate out-of-pocket costs for landowners.

It is important to note that annual riparian planting numbers reported for this outcome differ from the progress data reported on the Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST). More information about this discrepancy can be found in the Riparian Forest Buffers Analysis & Methods Document.

Land Use/Land Cover

According to land use/land cover data from 2021/2022, 69.96% of riparian areas in the watershed are forested: 1,753 acres less than our 70% goal. Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia have achieved greater than 70% riparian forest cover, with 70.14%, 73.64% and 75.59% coverage, respectively. However, it's important to note that the 70% goal is considered a minimum, and additional restoration efforts are needed across the watershed. Overall land use/land cover trends show a net loss of 41,941 acres of riparian forest cover between 2013/2014 and 2021/2022, with only the District of Columbia showing a net gain of three acres. Virginia experienced the greatest loss during this time, of 27,353 acres. This decline highlights the need to pair robust forest buffer planting and maintenance programs with forest buffer conservation.

The riparian forest buffer planting indicator is updated annually with each jurisdiction’s reported plantings. Net changes are reported every four years as new land use/land cover data becomes available. This update schedule will result in fluctuations between gains and losses, as well as delays in the land use/land cover data’s inclusion of newly planted buffers.

Forest buffers are critical to the health of the Chesapeake Bay: They stabilize stream banks, prevent nutrient pollution from entering waterways, provide food and habitat for wildlife, and keep streams cool during hot weather. Because of these and other benefits, forest buffers are considered one of the most cost-effective best management practices to benefit the Bay.

Learn About Factors Influencing Progress

Management Strategy

To achieve this outcome, Chesapeake Bay Program partners have committed to:

Facilitating connections between federal, state and local leaders and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Aligning forest buffer programs with related projects and funding sources (e.g., land conservation, stream restoration, stormwater programs and funding).
Improving existing forest buffer programs (e.g., amending state Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program agreements, increasing and improving technical assistance, conducting outreach and education) to make them more appealing to landowners.
Using science and technology (e.g., high-resolution satellite imagery, geographic prioritization tools) to improve the forest buffer practice.

Monitoring and assessing progress toward the outcome will occur through data related to the miles of forest buffers planted each year, as collected through annual progress reports. High-resolution satellite imagery will confirm these buffers are there and represent a net gain for that part of the watershed.

As part of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s partnership-wide implementation of adaptive management, progress toward this outcome was reviewed and discussed by the Management Board in June of 2024.

Download Management Strategy (.pdf)

Logic & Action Plan

Chesapeake Bay Program partners have committed to taking a series of specific actions that will support the management approaches listed above.

Ongoing

Renewing and maintaining leadership at the jurisdiction and Partnership levels, especially to support implementing jurisdiction Riparian Forest Buffer Action Strategies.
Supporting and developing effective, flexible buffer programs with innovative financing and comprehensive services (e.g., planning, planting, maintenance).
Building capacity and improving equity in staff, contractors, and outreach.
Improving Riparian Forest Buffer outreach and communication.
Using new data and tools to improve strategic planning, climate resilience, equitable and effective buffer delivery, and reporting.
Conserving existing buffers.

Recently Completed

2024

Convened an in-person Riparian Forest Buffer Summit in June.
Continued work on Optimizing Riparian Forest Buffers for Adaptation and Resilience, a project supported by the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Goal Implementation Team (GIT) Funding Program.
Convened a regional riparian forest buffer webinar to communicate with a wider audience on the role of forest buffers in watershed restoration.

2023

Updated the Management Board on jurisdictions’ progress towards implementing their state Riparian Forest Buffer Action Strategies.
Updated the Logic & Action Plan for the Riparian Forest Buffers Outcome.
Completed report on Evaluating Communications Needs to Increase Tree Planting and Maintenance.
Completed a Business Plan and Buyers Guide for a proposed Riparian Forest Buffer Outcomes Fund to overcome barriers and create new incentives to plant more buffers.

2022

Convened the Chesapeake Riparian Forest Buffer 2022 Leadership Workshop and organized two pre-workshop webinars and a pre-workshop synthesis effort
Developed high-level Action Strategies in each jurisdiction to help focus and coordinate riparian forest buffers efforts.

2021

Continued to convene riparian forest buffer task forces or coordinating bodies in states where goals are regularly not being met.
Improved riparian forest buffers verification by working with states on reporting and extending the credit duration of forest buffers in the model to 15 years.

Learn About Logic & Action Plan

Participating Partners

The Forestry Workgroup, which is part of the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team, leads the effort to achieve this outcome. It works in partnership with the Vital Habitats and Healthy Watersheds goal implementation teams.

Participating partners include:

State of Delaware
State of Maryland
State of New York
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Commonwealth of Virginia
State of West Virginia
Chesapeake Bay Commission
Farm Service Agency (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Geological Survey
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Baltimore Greenspace
Cacapon Institute
Casey Trees
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
The Nature Conservancy
Parks and People Foundation
Pennsylvania Conservation Districts
Potomac Conservancy
Stroud Water Research Center
TreeBaltimore
Trout Unlimited