Potomac Planting Program

The Piedmont Environmental Council provides free technical assistance, project design, materials, and labor for the planting of native trees and shrubs in riparian zones on properties in the Potomac River watershed.

Geographic Scope: Clarke, Loudoun, and Fauquier counties in Virginia (Potomac River watershed)

Focus Areas:

• Native tree and shrub planting in riparian zones
• Riparian buffer establishment (35-foot buffers)
• Water quality protection
• Streamside habitat restoration

Eligibility:

• Property must be located within the Potomac River watershed and PEC's operating region
• Property must have a body of water (stream, creek, river, pond, or wetland area)
• If property has livestock, exclusion fencing protecting planting area is required
• Landowners must be willing to commit to a 35-foot riparian buffer
• Project cannot fulfill regulatory requirements for replanting or mitigation associated with development

What They Fund:

• 100% of costs for technical assistance, project design, materials, and installation
• Native hardwood trees and shrubs (species selected from local riparian buffer guidelines)
• Tree tubes for all trees and shrubs
• Installation labor

What They Don't Fund:

• Projects that fulfill regulatory requirements for replanting or mitigation associated with development

Plant Species Used:

• Pin oak (Quercus palustris)
• White oak (Quercus alba)
• Alders (Alnus spp.)
• Black willow (Salix nigra)
• Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
• Dogwoods (Cornus spp.)
• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Project Details:

• No minimum/maximum size requirements for property or planting
• Site visits, design, materials ordering, and installation timeline varies by season
• Installation generally takes 1-2 days
• Tree tubes require annual maintenance and eventual removal (recommended 3-5 years)
• Representative responds to inquiry within 2 weeks

Funding Sources:

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund

Partners:

• Loudoun, John Marshall, and Lord Fairfax Soil Conservation Districts
• Friends of the Rappahannock
• Virginia Department of Forestry
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Goose Creek Association

How to Apply

1. Determine if your property qualifies: Enter your address into PEC's online watershed map to verify your property is in the Potomac River watershed (covers all of Clarke and Loudoun counties and part of Fauquier County)
2. Confirm eligibility requirements:
   • Property has a body of water (stream, creek, river, pond, or wetland)
   • If livestock present, exclusion fencing will protect the proposed planting area
   • Willing to commit to 35-foot riparian buffer
   • Project is not required by development regulations
3. Sign up/Contact PEC: Reach out to Linnea Stewart, Tree Planting & Stewardship Coordinator
4. Site visit and design: A PEC representative will respond within 2 weeks to discuss the proposed project and schedule a site visit
5. Project implementation: PEC will handle materials ordering and coordinate installation
6. Maintenance commitment: Landowner commits to annual tree tube maintenance and eventual removal (3-5 years recommended)

Contact Information

• Linnea Stewart, Tree Planting & Stewardship Coordinator
• Phone: (540) 347-2334
• Email: [email protected]