Google, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association Collaborate on Water Quality Project in Virginia
Today, Google, The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Alliance) and Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association (MDVA) announce the completion of their innovative collaboration that will improve water quality in the Northern Virginia region. Through this partnership, including a more than $230,000 contribution from Google, streamside trees, known as riparian buffers, were installed on five Shenandoah Valley area dairy farms, totaling more than 2,800 native hardwood trees planted. Additionally, these buffers will be monitored by the Alliance until Spring 2031 to ensure the young trees grow into a healthy forest. These buffers will improve overall water quality by reducing pollutants and runoff from entering the Potomac River Basin and Chesapeake Bay Watershed, as well as improve the overall biodiversity and streambank stabilization of the farm, both of which are key in supporting on-farm climate resiliency in the coming years.
Historically, the burden of improving water quality on farms has fallen on the shoulders of the farmers themselves. By partnering with local dairy farmers, this collaboration between Google, the Alliance, and MDVA brings much-needed resources to help accelerate the installation of conservation practices and support local farmers as they achieve their conservation goals.
“At Google, we are committed to improving local watershed health in the areas we operate,” said Amber Tillman, Head of Data Center Economic and Community Development for Google. “With a long-time presence in Northern Virginia, this collaboration was a great opportunity for us to meaningfully contribute to the well-being of the Chesapeake Bay right in our backyard.”
The riparian buffers act as a natural filtration system by allowing trees, shrubs and other perennial plants to remove excessive nutrients, pesticides and animal waste from entering rivers and streams. Additional benefits include stabilizing eroding river and stream banks, providing wildlife habitat and protecting downstream communities from flood damage.
”Partnership is critical in terms of getting sustainable practices implemented on the ground,” said Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Projects Manager Christian Anderson. “Putting riparian buffers on farms is a big investment, so this partnership allows the community to benefit from these improvements while taking the burden off Virginia farmers.”
“Our farmer-owned dairy cooperative has its roots in Virginia so their sense of responsibility for the sustainability of the dairy supply chain runs deep,” said Lindsay Reames, EVP of Sustainability & External Relations at MDVA. “It’s partnerships like this with Google and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay that help our dairy farmers make their sustainability goals a reality.”
Google’s commitment to responsible water use includes a climate-conscious approach to data center cooling, complemented by intentional water stewardship that is centered on assessing water-related risks at the site and basin level and addressing challenges in partnership with local experts. Google aims to replenish 120 percent of the freshwater volume consumed across its offices and data centers, and help restore and improve water quality and ecosystem health in the communities in which it operates.
About Google in Virginia
Google is proud to call Virginia home for more than a decade with an office in Reston and data centers in Loudoun & Prince William Counties. In 2022, Google helped provide $10.21 billion of economic activity for tens of thousands of Virginia businesses, publishers, nonprofits, creators and developers. More than 439,000 Virginia businesses used Google’s free tools to receive phone calls, bookings, reviews, requests for directions and other direct connections to their customers. Grow with Google has partnered with 252 organizations in the state to train more than 234,000 Virginians on digital skills, including organizations such as public libraries, chambers of commerce, community colleges and more.
About the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is a regional nonprofit organization that restores the lands and waters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Our collaborative and action-oriented approach delivers on-the-ground solutions, technical assistance, and builds capacity to achieve healthier lands and cleaner water. In 2023, the Alliance’s passionate team of experts planted over 125,000 trees across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Alliance was founded in 1971 and has offices in Annapolis, MD, Lancaster, PA, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA. For more information about the Alliance, visit allianceforthebay.org.
About Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association is a community of more than 900 dairy farm families in 10 states passionate about cultivating dairy goodness and bottling fresh Maola brand milk and dairy products. Our farmer-owned cooperative owns five dairy processing plants that process more than three billion pounds of milk annually. Our diverse portfolio of dairy products are then distributed to consumers in the United States and ingredients customers worldwide. Our cooperative is a leader in sustainability, partnering across the supply chain to deliver sustainable solutions to our member farms. We take pride in supporting the educational and nutritional needs of the communities in our milkshed through our MDVA Fund. For more information about Maryland & Virginia, visit: www.mdvamilk.com.
Date line: Reston, Virginia
