Riparian Restoration and Protection Initiative

Through WPC's Riparian Restoration and Protection Initiative (RRPI), over 65,000 feet of streambank have been fenced and over 50 acres of wetlands have been protected. Since its inception two years ago, over 25 landowners have participated in the streambank fencing program. Excluding livestock from the streams prevents erosion and sedimentation, one of Pennsylvania's leading non-point source pollutants.

The photo above shows a riparian buffer that was reestablished after fence construction. Although such recovering sites can be weedy, the fencing does protect the stream banks where native plants can become established in the future.

This project site, in Mercer County, included over 4,500 feet of installed fence and two acres of protected wetland. Water chemistry has improved significantly, as well as increased macroinvertebrate populations.

Sign Up for WPC Daily