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The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a Maryland-specific enhancement of the Conservation Reserve Program. CREP provides payments above normal rental rates for establishing riparian forest buffers, retiring highly erodible lands, and restoring wetlands. The goal is to enroll 100,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land statewide (70,000 acres of riparian land; 20,000 acres of highly erodible land; and 10,000 acres of wetlands).

To be eligible, farms must be cropland that has been planted two of the five most recent crop years. Enrolled lands will receive a per acre rental rate, plus a 70% bonus if planted as a streamside buffer, or 50% for retiring erodible lands or restoring wetlands. Up to 87.5% of the installation costs off conservation practices are eligible for reimbursement up to $600 per acre, but not to exceed 50% of the land value. Payments will be made yearly for the life of the contract. A fifteen year contract is required. A second contract option is available to sell permanent easements. Payments are based upon local land values. There is open enrollment for the CREP program.

Maryland Farm Service Agency

 8335 Guilford Road, Suite R

Columbia, MD 21046

(410)381-4550

       The Forest Conservancy District Board for Baltimore County

9405 Old Harford Road

Baltimore, Maryland 21234

(410) 665-5820 

Email Robert Prenger ....... rprenger@dnr.state.md.us

 Melvin Noland ....... mlnoland@bcpl.net