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Riparian Forests For Landowners (RFFL) Program is sponsored by Virginia Department of Forestry (in partnership with USDA Forest Service). The RFFL program provides flexible, no-cost riparian forest buffer installation and one year of maintenance to landowners. It's funded by the Inflation Reduction Act through the USDA Forest Service and the Commonwealth of Virginia's Water Quality Improvement Fund Act.
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Riparian Forests For Landowners Program | Virginia Department of Forestry Forests for Drinking Water Benefits of Streamside Forests Farm & Forestland Conservation Office of Working Lands Preservation Legacy and Estate Planning Generation NEXT & Virginia Farm Link Century Forest & Farm Recognition Protect Working Lands with a Conservation Easement Virginia Security Corridor Virginia’s Agriculture Vitality License Plate Environmental Impact Review & Mitigation Working Lands Real Estate Tax Relief Restriction of Development Programs Apply for State-Matching PDR Funding Plant Riparian Forest Buffers Water Protection on Farms Best Management Practices for Water Quality Stormwater Management for Landowners Riparian Forest Buffer Tax Credit Financial Assistance Programs Riparian Forests For Landowners Program Plant Urban Riparian Forest Buffers Financial Assistance Programs Message from the State Forester Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals New Kent Conference Center Riparian Forests For Landowners Program The DOF Riparian Forests for Landowners (RFFL) program provides flexible, no-cost riparian forest buffer installation and one year of maintenance to landowners.
The program is being implemented by DOF and partner organizations in a unique watershed-based partnership. Funding is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act through the USDA Forest Service and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Water Quality Improvement Fund Act. This program is open to private property owners including property/homeowner’s associations or civic leagues in rural, urban or suburban areas.
This turnkey program covers the planning, site preparation, planting and one year of maintenance for riparian forest buffer plantings . Buffers may be pine, hardwood or a mix of both. Buffers must be at least 35 feet wide and no greater than 300 feet wide per side from the water’s edge.
Land must have less than 20% coverage by invasive plant species to qualify for this program. The landowner must agree to retain the buffer as forest for 15 years. Buffer can be installed on open land adjacent to a water feature where a forested buffer of at least 35 feet in width from the water’s edge can be planted.
An existing buffer may be expanded up to 300 feet from the water’s edge. The water feature may be any of the following bodies of water: Lakes, ponds and reservoirs/municipal water supplies Water features within wetlands Fresh and saltwater marshes Irrigation ditches, canals and other man-made water features DOF will accept continuous sign-ups for this program until funding is depleted.
Eligible projects will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis with planned implementation from fall 2025 to spring 2026 and follow-up maintenance support through 2027. Complete this survey-style Landowner Interest Form and a DOF forester or representative from one of our partnering organizations will reach out to you. You may also reach out directly to the DOF Watershed staff contact below.
Thank you to our partners who are assisting with implementation of buffer projects for this program: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Friends of the Rappahannock A variety of financial assistance programs are available through DOF and partner agencies for forest management activities to help protect water quality. Explore All Financial Assistance Programs Learn more about planting riparian forest buffers .
Image Title ID Description Date Content Type View hf:tax:document-category hf:tax:Media Riparian Forests for Landowners Program – Providing Flexible, No-Cost Forest Buffer Installation FT0066 Information sheet details the Riparian Forests for Landowners program for private landowners, including eligibility, funding, and how to apply.
09/11/2025 Publication View financial-assistance-water-quality water-quality watershed publication Plant Guide and Selection Tool – A Guide for Selecting Riparian Trees and Shrubs in Virginia This guide produced by the Upper and Middle James Riparian Consortium helps to make selection, planting and maintenance clear and easy.
01/01/2024 Publication View forest-management water-quality publication DOF foresters can assist you with your forestland and financial assistance options available. Contact your local DOF forester . For more information or questions, e-mail us , (434) 220-9024 or use our contact form .
Message from the State Forester Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals New Kent Conference Center
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Private property owners, including property/homeowner's associations or civic leagues in rural, urban or suburban areas, within the eligible James River watershed area. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows covers 100% of planning, site preparation, planting, and one year of maintenance for riparian forest buffer plantings. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Riparian Forests For Landowners (RFFL) Program is funded by Virginia Department of Forestry (in partnership with USDA Forest Service). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
USDA-FS-2026-CFP puts $4.95 million behind fee-simple forest acquisition, caps requests at $600,000, and requires a 50 percent non-federal match. But the deadline that will actually disqualify you is October 13 — the date your application must be in your State Forester's hands, two weeks before the Forest Service ever sees it.
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