Lancaster Farmland Trust will receive $198,920 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund to help farmers in the Millcreek Watershed improve local water and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The funding will be used to implement good conservation practices on four strategic farms in the Millcreek in Upper Leacock Township.
This “green infrastructure” project will enable the Trust to help local farmers with critical conservation practices such as pasture management, streambank stabilization and buffers, streambank fencing, livestock crossings, and rotational grazing of livestock. The project will result in financially viable, sustainable improvements for individual farmers, and at that same time, multiply these benefits to assist Upper Leacock Township with meeting pollution reduction requirements.
The Trust will partner with TeamAg, Upper Leacock Township, and the Mill Creek Preservation Association to organize community volunteers to assist with implementation. This community-wide approach to improving water quality will help farmers make long-term environmental improvements and protect our natural resources. Lancaster Farmland Trust is currently partnering with eight municipalities in Lancaster County, including Upper Leacock Township, to explore how agricultural best management practices can assist local governments with meeting regulatory requirements.
