This fall, CCE Onondaga, launched a riparian buffer community planting project in the Skaneateles watershed in fall 2018. This planting project is result of a partnership between CCE Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, Skaneateles Lake Watershed Agricultural Program (SLWAP) with funds from the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District (OCSWCD).

Through volunteer-based plantings, CCE educators taught watershed residents how to build vegetated riparian buffers- including species selection and sourcing, site preparation, planting techniques and maintenance tips.

Over the course of two planting dates, twenty dedicated volunteers planted over 200 plants including native trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials on a shorefront property along the northwestern shore of the lake. The added vegetation will slow surface water runoff, hold soils in place, and reduce the nutrient and sediment loading that flows from the property into the lake.

Through this service-learning project, volunteers were able to directly contribute to the protection of their water supply and watershed by adding bigger, better buffers while learning skills that they can take back to add a riparian buffer, filter strip, or other vegetated landscape to their own properties.