Podcast: Educator Cat Pugh talks riparian buffers, agroforestry and creative plantings that lead to artistic opportunities

Riverkeeper note: The following overview blogpost and podcast interview with Cat Pugh was conducted by West Branch Regional Director Andrew Bechdel. You can contact him directly at [email protected]

​​As a Pennsylvania native who was born and raised in rural Bradford County, Cat Pugh has been surrounded by forests her entire life. But it wasn’t until she was an undergrad at Kutztown University when she took a botany course and learned about the field of ethnobotany, or “the study of the relationship between people and plants,” as she describes it.

Pugh subsequently filled her class schedule with plant classes, spent more time exploring plant communities outside, and cemented her love for the forests of the Appalachian Mountains by hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2017.

After a couple years off, Pugh came back to school in 2019 to work in Dr. Eric Burkhart’s ethnobotany lab at Penn State University and obtained her master’s degree in forest resources studying ramps. It was here that Pugh began dedicating her life to connecting people with the plant communities she loves so much. 

After completing her Master’s, Pugh took a job as a Forest Extension Educator with the Penn State Extension, a university service that connects the public with science-based resources. In her role, she delivers programs on native plants, non-forest timber products, agroforestry and forest ecology.

In the realm of agroforestry, Pugh now hosts public programs that focus on multifunctional riparian buffers along waterways that run through private, agricultural landscapes.

"This idea of riparian buffers, which is the intentional planting of trees and shrubs along waterways, is a practice that is situated within the field of agroforestry," she said. "The idea of agroforestry is that these agricultural systems are able to serve multiple functions and produce multiple harvestable crops for the landowner.”

By applying this agroforestry concept, landowners can generate additional revenue from riparian plant products while protecting their streams by slowing the amount of agricultural runoff, stabilizing streambanks, shading streams and keeping them cool and providing habitat for wildlife. This practice also protects the adjacent farm field from an influx of woody debris during high flow events.

Check out the full interview with Cat Pugh in the most recent episode of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Podcast:

Although these buffers provide many benefits, they can inherently take away farmable acreage and money from the farmer, especially for those who don’t have the resources to process additional food products.

To encourage the installation of these buffers, Pugh helps farmers reimagine their space. She sees harvestable products for art as a viable secondary source of income.

“I was inspired by someone who called me and asked where they could buy willows so their children could make baskets,” she said. 

Since willows are fast to establish (about 2-3 years), individuals who plant willows will quickly be able to sell willow cuttings used for weaving baskets and fences. Once established, willows can produce marketable products for landowners for more than 20 years.

For those interested in volunteering their time with these projects, you may seek out the Pennsylvania Master Watershed Stewards Program - Master Watershed Steward Program (psu.edu). Aside from basket weaving with willows, Pugh also hosts programs on how to make a natural dye from black walnut trees.

If you’re interested in attending a program hosted by Cat Pugh, you can follow the Penn State Forestry and Wildlife newsletter on the Penn State Extension website - Forest and Wildlife - Penn State Extension (psu.edu).