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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is offering free plants for riparian forest buffer projects to qualifying groups and projects in the Pennsylvania portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Applications will be accepted through March 28. Applications received after that date will be filled as plant availability allows.
Changes have been made in this season’s give-away because of the smaller number of plants available. Applications will be filled according to the following priorities:
· Riparian forest buffer projects within 100 feet of small streams (streams less than 15 feet wide at water surface) will be the first priority.
· Local non-profit watershed groups will be given preference.
· Groups providing a Stream ReLeaf data form with specifics on where the desired plants will be used along with their application will be given preference versus groups who provide that information later.
· Giveaway Plants are not to be used for large projects where proposals should have included buffer restoration costs from the outset, particularly projects involving channel realignment.
There are a large number of green ash, silver maple and scarlet oak available that will allow CBF to show flexibility on these priorities for applications requesting primarily these species of trees.
Species available-- Scrubs: Black chokeberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Red chokeberry, Nannyberry viburnum, Gray dogwood, Silky dogwood; Trees: Silver maple, Swamp white oak, Green ash, Scarlet oak, Tulip poplar, Sycamore, Pin oak
There are some green ash, silver maple and scarlet oak left-over from the 2004 giveaway, so they will be a little bigger.
Requests must be for whole flats of 25 plants, one species per flat, with a minimum request of eight flats (200 plant minimum order). Unless specifically discussed with CBF, at least one-third of the total order must be green ash, at least one-third must be a mix of scarlet oak and silver maple (heavy on the oak would be ideal).
Give-away plants are premium plants grown by Octoraro Native Plant Nursery. Plants are typically 15” to 30”+ tall, containerized seedlings in 3”x3”x9” pots, 25 per flat. These plants normally wholesale for over $3 each. Additional species are available for purchase from Octoraro Native Plant Nursery.
Recipients are responsible for return of containers to Octoraro Native Plant Nursery or the nearest CBF Buffer Specialist. A list of CBF Buffer Specialists will be sent with confirmation/directions.
Plant pick-up by groups will be at Black Rock Nursery in southern Lancaster County. Flats weigh about 30 lbs - loading assistance may not be available.
Pickup times are: March 30 - 10 a.m. to Noon, April 5 - 10 a.m. to Noon and April 15 10 a.m. to noon.
Interested groups should contact Cathy Hiebert in CBF’s PA office at 717-234-5550 or email at chiebert@cbf.org for further details.
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