What kind of government incentives are available for establishing buffers?

Many.

There are numerous government and non-government incentive programs. Some of these are aimed at specific watersheds while others are more general. The most effective program at the present time is the Continuous Sign-up for High Priority Practices of the Conservation Reserve Program. This program provides an annual payment consisting of an established land rental rate plus a twenty percent bonus for filter strips or riparian forest buffers on lands with a cropping or grazing history. The rental rate is based on values that are calculated for each county and based on specific soil types. The payments are provided annually for 10 or 15 years. At the present time there is also a signing bonus equivalent to $100 or $150 per acre depending if the buffer is enrolled for 10 or 15 years, respectively. The program also provides the equivalent of a 90% cost-share for installation of the buffer and provides some money for annual maintenance.

Other cost-share programs also provide some funding. For example, in Iowa these include the USDA Stewardship Incentive program administered by the Iowa DNR and the Riparian Forest Buffer Practice of REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection Program) administered by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) - Division of Soil Conservation and Soil and Water Conservation Districts. In addition, some parts of the practice may be funded by the Wetlands Reserve Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Non-government organizations such as Pheasant's Forever and Trees Forever may provide additional assistance under specific situations.