Protecting Forests Protecting Forests for the Long Haulfor the Long HaulPotomac Conservancy’s approach Potomac Conservancy’s approach to improving water quality through to improving water quality through forest conservationforest conservation

2006-2010 2006-2010 Strategic Goals:Strategic Goals:

Water QualityWater Quality: Reducing water pollutants, : Reducing water pollutants, particularly sediment and nutrients, and particularly sediment and nutrients, and preventing or reducing the impact of new preventing or reducing the impact of new pollution sourcespollution sources

Scenic BeautyScenic Beauty: Protecting the most significant : Protecting the most significant and threatened scenic landscapesand threatened scenic landscapes

RecreationRecreation: Expanding and enhancing : Expanding and enhancing responsible river-based recreationresponsible river-based recreation

2006 Objectives:2006 Objectives:

Identify the Identify the most critical watershedsmost critical watersheds for the for the purpose of reducing sediment and nitrogen purpose of reducing sediment and nitrogen pollution.pollution.

Improve water quality by Improve water quality by reducing nonpoint reducing nonpoint source pollution on working landssource pollution on working lands in in targeted watershedstargeted watersheds

Identify and Identify and advocate for sustainable advocate for sustainable funding sourcesfunding sources that support improvement that support improvement and protection of water qualityand protection of water quality

Water Quality and Water Quality and Working LandsWorking Lands

Focus on highly Focus on highly threatenedthreatened lands critical lands critical to water qualityto water quality

Work directly with landowners to develop Work directly with landowners to develop a a comprehensive management plancomprehensive management plan

Catalyze local leadershipCatalyze local leadership in targeted sub- in targeted sub-watersheds to ensure long-term oversight watersheds to ensure long-term oversight of projects (e.g. forest landowners of projects (e.g. forest landowners informational cooperative)informational cooperative)

Goods from the WoodsGoods from the Woods ApproachApproach

Forest Stewardship PlanForest Stewardship Plan Restoration (funded Restoration (funded

primarily through State primarily through State and Federal programs)and Federal programs)

Niche products & Niche products & marketing (e.g. ginseng)marketing (e.g. ginseng)

Permanent protection Permanent protection (working forest (working forest easements)easements)

Mt. Pleasant FarmMt. Pleasant Farm

106-acre sheep farm106-acre sheep farm 40 acres of forest, 64 40 acres of forest, 64

acres of open pastureacres of open pasture 1 mile of frontage on 1 mile of frontage on

Cedar CreekCedar Creek Adjacent to Cedar Creek Adjacent to Cedar Creek

Battlefield Battlefield GoalsGoals: utilize best : utilize best

management practices management practices for water quality and for water quality and farm efficiency, protect farm efficiency, protect for future generations, for future generations, attract wildlife.attract wildlife.

Whole Homestead Whole Homestead ManagementManagement

8 acres in 8 acres in CREPCREP, , alternative watering alternative watering source, fencingsource, fencing

Forest managed Forest managed through a through a Forest Forest Stewardship PlanStewardship Plan

Purchased Purchased Easement (State, Easement (State, Federal and private)Federal and private)

Working Forest Working Forest EasementsEasements

Encourage landowners to continue to manage Encourage landowners to continue to manage or timber their forest in accordance with a or timber their forest in accordance with a Forest Stewardship PlanForest Stewardship Plan

Incorporation of Incorporation of forest management goalsforest management goals (e.g. maintenance of (e.g. maintenance of forest canopyforest canopy, , maintenance of maintenance of water qualitywater quality, enhancement of , enhancement of wildlife habitatwildlife habitat))

Require Require protection of riparian forestprotection of riparian forest for water for water qualityquality

Future of land Future of land conservation…conservation…

Sustained, secure fundingSustained, secure funding for for protection of working landsprotection of working lands

IncentivesIncentives for management of working for management of working forests to benefit water qualityforests to benefit water quality

Partnership and coordinationPartnership and coordination between between forestry and land conservation forestry and land conservation communitycommunity