Evaluation of potential gross income from non-timber products in a model riparian forest for the Chesapeake Bay watershed

The creation of riparian forest buffer zones for water quality management in agricultural landscapes takes land out of production, incurring an economic loss for the landowner. However, planting and harvesting techniques, such as those employed in indigenous systems of tropical agroforestry, can enhance riparian forest buffer strips with economically viable species. This kind of riparian forest buffer can be harvested and generate income from otherwise unproductive tracts of land. This practice would make the implementation of riparian forest buffers more acceptable to farmers, by generating income while helping to improve water quality. The present project provides an economic model for the harvest of non-timber products (fruits, nuts and ornamentals) from riparian forest buffer zones in the Chesapeake Bay region. Potential gross income from harvest is calculated to demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy. Given certain assumptions, the gross income can amount to $60,934.30/ha/year. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.