Careers in Conservation

Business & Contractor’s Network

If you’re a landowner seeking help with planning, installing or maintaining a riparian buffer, a Consortium partner looking for contractor help, or an environmental contractor ready to offer your services and network within our community, this page is for you.

Need help with your forested buffer?

Finding the right contractor to work with during the site preparation, planting, or maintenance phase of your riparian forest buffer project, can be tough! While some may feel comfortable prepping, planting, and then caring for their new forested buffers, many do not have the time, equipment or expertise. This is where contractors come in!

To help you locate the contractor you need, the Consortium has compiled this contractor list. We will do our best to keep this list current, and plan to update the list at the beginning of each year.

Disclaimer Please be advised that we cannot endorse or recommend any contractor. While the James River Buffer Program (JRBP) has compiled this contractor list, we cannot be familiar with them all. This is simply our best effort to present a current list to anyone looking for this service.

contractor list

To be listed as a contractor

While we’ve done our best to include contractors we’re aware of, and who were interested in being listed, we know the list is not comprehensive. If you would like to be added to this list, click here to submit your information. We will review and update the list at the beginning of each year.

planting trees

Tips for Working with a Contractor

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Set Clear Goals

Before reaching out to contractors, take time to think through your project goals. This will help you choose the right contractor whose values and goals align with your own. Ensuring that you and your contractor agree on the purpose and intended impact of the project will help limit conflicts throughout the project.
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Reach Out Early

Make sure to contact contractors early. Reaching out at least 30 days (but ideally 90 days) in advance of when you want to begin will improve your chances of securing the contractor that is right for you and the project.
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Communicate Clearly

During initial meetings with your contractor, be clear and thorough about what you want from the project. Your contractor wants to know what you are thinking so they can provide you with the best results possible. Keep an open mind and consider their suggestions – they are often based on experience and may help move your project closer to your goal!
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Understand Project Limitations

Many factors can limit how closely a project meets its initial goals. Be aware of these limitations and manage your expectations going into the project. For example, invasive species management often is a long-term effort with ongoing maintenance. Keeping these limitations in mind throughout the process will help ensure you are satisfied when your project is complete.
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Consider Bundling Projects

If neighbors or other organizations in the area are planning similar work, consider bundling your projects. Because there are time and monetary costs to start up a new project, contractors are always looking to streamline and simplify the process. Bundling projects might make it cheaper for you and easier for your contractor!

For Smaller Projects

Do you have a small buffer area or a backyard project? Most of the contractors listed here are great for riparian forest buffer projects that are using bareroot seedlings in restoration settings. Click here to find Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) certified businesses that may be able to help you with design and install, and visit the Plant Virginia Natives website to find local native plant nurseries.

For Agricultural Projects

A successful buffer in agricultural settings can require cattle exclusion fencing, alternative water systems, and other components. The best place to find a list of these contractors is your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Find your local SWCD here.  

ariel view tree planting
planting trees

Business of Buffers Roundtables

2026 Business of Buffers Roundtable

Our next Business of Buffers Roundtable is planned for January 2026! Keep an eye on this space for updates on how you can get involved. Read below about the findings from the 2023 Roundtable.

2023 Business of Buffers Roundtable

Within the James River Watershed, existing riparian buffer contractors are seeing an increase in the demand for their services but are struggling to recruit and train the workforce needed to fulfill existing contracts, limiting their capacity to take on more work. In addition, the cost of doing business has risen (materials, fuel, equipment, labor rates), profits have decreased, there aren’t always enough seedlings to meet demand, and there have been disruptions in the supply chain for tree tubes. In 2023, CBLP and JRA organized a Business of Buffers roundtable to inform the following:
  1. Small Business Engagement with Buffer Projects
  2. Ongoing Outreach Activities for the Riparian Consortium
  3. Contractor Capacity Building
  4. Planning and Delivery of Training and Professional Development Workshops
Read the report
Business of Buffers webinar

We want your input!

If you are involved with the buffer conservation business in the James River watershed, what type of content would you like to see on this page? Send us your ideas!