The NYS Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (NYS CREP) aims to reduce pollution in streams by helping agricultural landowners to voluntarily plant trees, shrubs, and grasses on streambanks to trap sediment, pesticides and fertilizers in runoff.
Landowners are compensated for the loss of productive agricultural land through annual rental payments and upfront incentive payments based on the total acreage dedicated to forested buffers or vegetated filter strips. Contracts can either be 10 or 15 years, during which the buffers must be maintained by the contracted individual. Cost-share funding up to 50% with an additional 40% in incentive payments is available for planting materials, fencing, watering facilities, and stream crossings.
