Laura is quick to give credit to Theresa Pandl, Senior Vice President and Administrator of St. Mary's-Ozaukee, for having the future vision for this environmental stewardship work. She also acknowledges her own supervisor, Don Flierl, Director of building Services, for his support and assistance in this endeavor. The USDA-NRCS is offering a national buffer initiative to help reduce sediment and other pollutants from getting into our lakes and streams. The program provides from 10 to 15 years of rental payments for setting cropland and pastureland aside. Buffers can be used along both perennial and intermittent streams.
Intermittent streams are seasonal streams that flow only during certain times of the year.
Widths are from 20 to 100 feet depending on site conditions. Payments per acre for participation in the program are higher than the normal CRP program because of the proven water quality benefits of buffers. Rental rates are based on the soil type found in the planned buffer area. This amount would be higher or lower depending on the soil type in the buffer area. Once the issues have been selected we plan to create work groups to develop an implementation strategy.