Montgomery County, Tenn. — How dedicated is someone who hand plants 741 trees and builds 2,080 linear feet of fencing to protect those trees? That question arouses curiosity for many seeing the 1.8 acre riparian buffer along the Cumberland River in Montgomery County, Tenn., that Kenneth Smith installed last winter and early this spring.
Smith’s 147 acre farm is primarily a cattle operation, but it has a past history of growing corn, soybeans and wheat. Smith decided to enroll part of his pasture that borders the western bank of the Cumberland River into USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). He chose the continuing sign-up CP-22 practice, which is designed to remove pollutants from surface runoff and protect subsurface water quality. It also provides a source of shade and habitat for wildlife.
Smith, who enrolled his land for 15 years, said he was concerned with the loss of land caused by the erosion of the river bank. “In the past year I have lost trees along the river bank due to erosion, the wake caused by the large barges really undercuts the bank. These trees won’t stop it but it will help.”
The practice calls for a minimum of three types of trees or shrubs be planted. However, Smith went the extra step and chose to plant Green Ash, Willow Oak, Bald Cypress, Red Maple and Native Plum trees. The fencing he added will prevent cattle from entering the area which will improve the tree survival rate and benefit wildlife habitat.
District Conservationist Kevin Hart estimates that there is a greater than 85% survival rate of the trees planted. This high rate exemplifies the extra effort by Smith to ensure the environmental benefits he is installing pays off in improved wildlife habitat and water quality.
Not only does CRP benefit the land and water, but Smith is compensated for some of the work and expense of installing the riparian buffer. CP22 provides an annual rental payment for the land removed from production and an incentive payment of 20% of soil rental rates. It also offers a one time incentive payment of 40% of the eligible cost of the practice installation, a one time incentive payment of $10 for each acre enrolled for each full year enrolled and 50% cost share for installation of the practice. While the payments do not cover the entire cost of enrolling the land in CRP, it does defray some of the cost and encourages people to participate in a program designed to protect fragile land and water resources.
