At its tenth annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum, the organization, with support from the U.S. Forest Service, recognized four Chesapeake Forest Champions: a non-profit protecting urban trees, a partnership promoting Pennsylvania forest buffers, a landowner duo managing a stewardship-certified forest and a leader in sustainable forest management.

A group of partners in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, was commended for Greatest On-the-Ground Impact.

Through their efforts, the group has helped implement more than 3,000 acres of streamside forest buffers since the beginning of Pennsylvania’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which compensates farmers in exchange for using their land for high-priority conservation issues.

At the awards event, the group was represented by Cathy Yeakel from Bradford County Conservation District, Jen Johns from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Mike Hanawalt from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.

(Photo: Craig Highfield, left, of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, presents a Forest Champion award for "Greatest on the Ground Impact" to, from left, Cathy Yeakel, Jen Johns and Mike Hanawalt of the Bradford County CREP Partnership.)

Across the watershed, forests are disappearing at an average rate of 100 acres per day. This can mean less habitat for wildlife and more pollution flowing into rivers and streams. But the examples set by Chesapeake Forest Champions act as reminders of the local action that can restore the region’s resources.

For more information, visit the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Forest Program webpage.

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10/5/2015