Four high schools in Crawford County will be competing over the next few weeks on how well they can install riparian buffers on three farms to help keep cattle out of streams and reduce nutrient and sediment runoff to streams.

The four high schools are Saegertown and Cambridge Springs, Titusville, Linesville and Conneaut Lake.

The Saegertown and Cambridge Springs High School project involves planning about 800 trees along a tributary to French Creek on the Bob Abbott farm.

Titusville High School students will plant trees and install shelters along a tributary to Oil Creek on the Jeff Jones Farm.

The Linesville and Conneaut Lake project will plant trees and 1,200 livestakes and shrubs on a tributary of Conneaut Creek on the Jim Lloyd Farm.

Keeping cattle out of a stream not only has environmental benefits, but can also have benefits to the dairy herd. Cattle will be healthier and vet bills should be reduced if they are no longer forced to drink from potentially contaminated water sources.

For more information, contact Brian Pilarcik, Watershed Specialist, Crawford County Conservation District, 814-763-5269 or send email to: brian@crawfordconservation.com .

4/13/2007