RappFLOW awarded grant

by Don Audette, Fall 2006

RappFLOW was recently awarded a Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed grant at a ceremony in Annapolis, Maryland. For the third year in a row, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has recognized RappFLOW's important work in coordinating citizen-based watershed protection in Rappahannock County. This competitive grant took in applications from all six states in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

RappFLOW's project will identify the vulnerable subwatersheds in Rappahannock County, create a new Geographic Information System map layer of forest cover along streams, and help identify cost-effective incentives for landowners to plant trees and shrubs along their streams.

RLEP, an essential partner in this project, is supporting the project through cost-sharing funds and well as through developing a pond-management component. This will include researching available literature suitable for landowner education regarding pond management, preparing and publishing a brochure on the topic, organizing workshops for interested landowners on the subject of pond management, and facilitating technical assistance to landowners desiring to participate in the riparian buffer cost-sharing program.

For more information or to get involved, contact RappFLOW at 540-987-8011 or bev_hunter@earthlink.net. For current updates on RappFLOW activities, meetings, and reports, visit RappFLOW's website, www.rappflow.org.