Wetland mitigation banking has emerged as a critical tool in environmental conservation, offering a unique approach to offsetting the impacts of development on wetland ecosystems. For environmental consultants and land developers, mastering the advanced techniques in wetland mitigation banking not only ensures compliance with environmental regulations but also maximizes financial returns. In this article, we’ll explore the key strategies for successful wetland mitigation banking and how they can lead to both ecological and economic success.

Understanding Wetland Mitigation Banking

Wetland mitigation banking involves the restoration, creation, enhancement, or preservation of wetlands to compensate for losses incurred by development projects. These efforts generate credits that can be sold to developers who need to offset their environmental impacts. The demand for mitigation credits has been steadily rising, making wetland mitigation banking a profitable venture for those who can navigate its complexities.

Why is Wetland Mitigation Banking Important?

Wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity, regulating water flow, and improving water quality. However, these ecosystems are often at risk due to urbanization and agricultural expansion. Mitigation banking ensures that when wetlands are impacted by development, new or restored wetlands replace their ecological functions, providing a net benefit to the environment.

Advanced Site Selection Strategies

The success of a wetland mitigation bank starts with selecting the right site. Not all sites are created equal, and choosing the best location requires careful consideration of various factors.

Key Considerations for Site Selection:

• Hydrology: The water source and flow are the lifeblood of any wetland. Ensure that the site has a reliable water source, whether from surface water, groundwater, or a combination of both.
• Soil Quality: The soil must support the wetland vegetation and provide the necessary conditions for water retention. Conduct thorough soil testing to determine its suitability.
• Proximity to Impacted Areas: Ideally, the site should be located near the areas where development impacts are occurring. This increases the value of the credits generated and makes the bank more appealing to potential buyers.

Selecting a site with these characteristics not only enhances the ecological success of the mitigation bank but also boosts its market value. Sites with optimal conditions are more likely to generate higher-quality credits, which can be sold at a premium.

Designing and Planning the Mitigation Bank

Once a site is selected, the next step is designing and planning the mitigation bank. This phase involves creating a detailed mitigation plan that outlines the goals, objectives, and success criteria for the bank.

Essential Elements of a Mitigation Plan:

• Hydrological Modeling: Use advanced hydrological models to predict water flow and ensure the wetland will function as intended. This modeling is crucial for designing water control structures and vegetation zones.
• Vegetation Planning: Select plant species that are native to the area and well-suited to the site’s hydrological conditions. Proper vegetation planning is key to establishing a resilient wetland ecosystem.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that the mitigation plan meets all regulatory requirements. Work closely with agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure the necessary permits and approvals.

A well-designed mitigation bank not only fulfills regulatory obligations but also maximizes the ecological and financial outcomes of the project.

Implementation and Construction Best Practices

The implementation and construction phase is where the mitigation plan comes to life. This stage involves grading the land, installing water control structures, and planting vegetation.

Best Practices for Implementation:

• Grading and Excavation: Carefully shape the land to create the desired hydrological conditions. This may involve removing excess soil, creating channels, or building berms.
• Water Control Structures: Install weirs, culverts, and other structures to manage water flow and maintain the appropriate water levels within the wetland.
• Planting and Seeding: Use native plants and seeds to establish vegetation. Consider timing the planting to coincide with the wet season to increase the chances of successful establishment.

Proper execution during this phase ensures that the wetland will develop as planned, providing the necessary ecological functions and generating high-quality mitigation credits.

Monitoring, Management, and Maximizing Financial Returns

Long-term monitoring and management are essential for the success of a wetland mitigation bank. Regular monitoring helps track the progress of the wetland and allows for adaptive management if issues arise.

Key Monitoring Activities:

• Water Quality Testing: Regularly test the water quality to ensure that the wetland is functioning as intended.
• Vegetation Surveys: Conduct surveys to monitor the health and diversity of the plant community.
• Wildlife Monitoring: Track the presence of key species to gauge the success of the wetland as a habitat.

Effective management not only maintains the ecological health of the wetland but also ensures that the mitigation credits remain valuable in the marketplace.

Maximizing Financial Returns:

• Credit Pricing: Set competitive prices for credits based on market demand and the quality of the mitigation provided.
• Marketing and Sales: Build relationships with developers and regulatory agencies to increase the visibility and attractiveness of your mitigation bank.

Conclusion

Wetland mitigation banking offers a win-win scenario for both the environment and developers. By mastering the advanced techniques of site selection, design, implementation, and management, you can create a successful mitigation bank that delivers significant ecological benefits while maximizing financial returns. As demand for mitigation credits continues to grow, those who excel in this field will find themselves well-positioned for long-term success.

Take the next step in your wetland mitigation banking success—register now to secure your spot in our essential webinar on wetland mitigation banking on October 24, 2024.

The following blog post is a summary of the article “Anything that can be built can be taken down”: The largest dam removal in U.S. history is complete — what happens next? by Lucy Sherriff, published by the BBC on September 3, 2024. To read the original article, click here.

Brook Thompson, a member of the Karuk and Yurok tribes from Northern California, has been fishing on the Klamath River since childhood, where fishing was a way of life. To her and her family, the river was not just a resource but a vital part of their culture and identity. However, in 2002, a massive fish die-off devastated the river, marking a turning point for her community. Thompson recalls how, at seven years old, she witnessed thousands of dead salmon along the shore, an event that had never been recorded in the tribe’s history. This tragedy was linked to low water flow from the Iron Gate Dam, which highlighted the detrimental effects of the dams on the Klamath River ecosystem and the tribe’s livelihood.

The Yurok and Karuk tribes have long opposed the dams, seeing their removal as essential to their survival. The dams blocked fish migration, severely diminishing salmon populations. The tribes’ deep cultural and spiritual connection to the river made the decline of salmon particularly painful. After years of activism and negotiations, the largest dam removal project in U.S. history was completed in 2024, opening over 400 miles of the river. This was a monumental victory for the tribes, as they had been told their demands were impossible. The return of the river’s natural flow brings hope for the recovery of fish populations and the tribe’s cultural practices.

The Klamath River basin, once one of the most productive salmon rivers on the West Coast, had suffered severely due to the dams. Salmon populations plummeted, and the tribes were forced to import fish for their cultural ceremonies. The dams also caused toxic algae growth, further damaging the water quality. The removal of the dams began in 2023, and although the water released downstream was initially dirty, the river has already begun to heal. Tribal members expect fish populations to recover significantly over the coming decades, with predictions estimating an 81% recovery by 2061.

Restoring the land exposed by the drained reservoirs is an ongoing challenge. The tribes, along with environmental organizations, have been working since 2011 to prepare for this restoration, collecting seeds from native plants to reestablish vegetation in the area. These efforts have involved hand-collecting seeds from hundreds of species, including culturally significant plants such as oak trees. The process has been complex, involving careful planning to ensure the genetic suitability of the plants for the local ecosystem. Despite challenges such as wildfires and drought, the restoration team has seen promising results, with wildlife beginning to return to the newly planted areas.

For Thompson and her community, the restoration of the river and the land represents more than just environmental recovery; it is also about healing their connection to their ancestral lands. The removal of the dams symbolizes the reclaiming of their role as stewards of the land, a responsibility passed down through generations. It offers hope not only for the future of the river’s health but for the survival of their cultural traditions tied to the salmon and the ecosystem. Thompson views this restoration as a forward-looking process, blending traditional ecological knowledge with modern scientific practices. While the river may never return to exactly what it once was, the tribes are committed to ensuring its future health for generations to come, believing that they can create a better, more sustainable future for their people.

Here in North Carolina, we experienced a hint of the season to come with a week of pleasantly cool temperatures. If one has been paying attention to store shelves, the news, and social media recently, then it should be apparent that the fall season is being celebrated now. Halloween decor has been for sale for months, and autumnal beverages and foods have premiered at nationwide chains. According to the internet, this trend of celebrating Halloween and fall in the middle of summer is known as “Augtober”. In that spirit, I have decided to write this month’s weird and wonderful blog about a small critter that often elicits screams and thoroughly freaks many people out: the house centipede.

Now, wait a minute, some myriapodologists out there may be saying, the house centipede is not actually native to North Carolina, or even to the North American continent. Yes, you got me. However, since this species has spread throughout the world, and can be readily found in North Carolina homes, I am hoping that you, dear readers of my blogs, will indulge me. Well, if it is not native to the Carolinas, or to North American, where is it from? House centipedes, Scutigera coleoptrata, are thought to be indigenous to the Mediterranean region of the world. Accidentally introduced to the Southeastern U.S., this species is now common throughout the country, and has also spread to Australia, Europe, and Asia. They are still a rare occurrence in the United Kingdom, as a recent BBC article explained.

Photo of Scutigera coleoptrata courtesy of The Pennsylvania State University Extension

For some, the house centipedes are the stuff of nightmares. They have a cylindrical body that can be an inch to an inch-and-a-half in length, attached to which are 15 pairs of very slender, banded legs. These pairs of legs increase in length as you progress towards the back end of the animal, with the final pair on adult females being almost twice the length of their body. While most other centipede species lack easily discernable eyes, house centipedes actually have well-developed, faceted eyes. In addition to their unsettling outward appearance, house centipedes are incredibly fast; when people happen upon one, they often witness it scuttling across the floor, looking for a dark, damp place to hide until nightfall. At night, house centipedes hunt small arthropods, including carpet beetles, cockroaches, and silverfish.

Unsettling outward appearance? Check. Seemingly unnatural speed? Check. Predatory? Check. See what I mean about the stuff of nightmares? Take some time to recover from what you have just learned, and then focus on the last sentence of the previous paragraph. House centipedes are hunters, and their prey are common household pests. Thus, while many people have no qualms about squashing this superficially vile creature, others let them live, because they would rather have a home with a guardian house centipede then a home full of cockroaches and silverfish (species which also haunt people’s dreams). House centipedes, weird and wonderful animals that they are, may not be easy on the eye, but you can rest assured knowing that any cockroach that dares cross your threshold will meet a swift end at the hands (well, really prehensors) of a house centipede. Now, granted, if there appears to be a large population of house centipedes in your home, that means there is plenty of food to go around, which in turn means you may have to invest in some pest management against all household arthropods. That unfortunate situation aside, if you happen to come across a house centipede this summer and fall, regain your composure, cease wondering what that sound was that just emerged from your lips, and consider letting it go on its merry way. You never know, it might just have a cockroach to foil.

Last week we discussed Executive Order No. 305 and how that would, hopefully, lead to more wetland habitats being protected in North Carolina. The North Carolina Salt Marsh Action Plan, or NCSMAP, was briefly mentioned as a positive step forward in preserving, maintaining, and restoring the salt marshes along our state’s coast. Today we are going to delve into NCSMAP, which was released in May of this year. This action plan was initiated by the North Carolina Coastal Federation, or NCCF, as means of developing a guide for how the state could accomplish the goals set out in the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI) Plan, which was published in May of 2023. There are approximately 1 million acres of salt marsh in the South Atlantic region, which extends from North Carolina through Florida. This unique ecosystem provides habitat for over 75% of the species important in the fisheries industry, which in turn supports approximately 39,000 jobs. Salt marshes harbor other wildlife species, and, due to their ability to absorb large volumes of water, provide protection from flooding for the communities, military installations, and infrastructure present along the coast.

Despite the clear benefits to having salt marshes, this particular ecosystem is under threat from both sides. On the one side, they are under threat of being destroyed for development; on the other, they are at risk of dying off due to rising sea levels. While the vegetation within this ecosystem can tolerate inundation for long periods, they do require access to air at some point; salt marsh vegetation that is permanently submerged under the sea cannot survive. Thus, the SASMI Plan proposes adaptive measures that can help save this critical habitat, not only for the wildlife, flood control, and water filtration benefits, but for the benefit of the human populations that have called the area home for centuries. One such community is the Gullah/Geechee Nation, which was officially established in 2000 but has a rich history extending back to the 18th century. Their communities are spread along The Gullah Geechee National Heritage Corridor, which stretches from Jacksonville, North Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. The Gullah/Geechee people’s ancestors were slaves and freedmen who settled in the region, and in 1861 and 1862 they were able to purchase lots of land, ranging in size from 10 to 40 acres. Unfortunately, it is projected that about 25% of the land in this corridor, throughout all four states, will be flooded/inundated due to the rising sea levels.

The SASMI Plan states that tackling sea level rise is outside of their scope, but what is within their scope is determining methods for salt marsh protection and migration that can be implemented, with state and local needs in mind, to keep these 1 million acres intact. Now wait a minute, you may be thinking, did you just say “salt marsh migration“? Yes! One of the strategies that is being proposed is to ensure that salt marshes can shift inland as sea levels rise. If the conditions are right, salt marsh vegetation will migrate inland, or landward, to escape the rising water levels. For this to work there has to be space available into which the salt marsh can move; the slope cannot be too steep; and there cannot be any physical barriers, such as roads, hardened shorelines, and urban areas. The SASMI Plan stresses that, while there are large areas of low-lying inlands along the whole South Atlantic region where the salt marsh can thrive, the migration must be executed carefully in order to avoid impacts to abutting freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and cultural resources. For North Carolina specifically, lower elevations of the northern coastal region offer more potential marsh migration space than the higher elevations of the southern coastal region.

NCSMAP proposes three strategies to protecting the salt marsh ecosystem in the state. Strategy #1 is to preserve what salt marsh areas are already in existence, through conservation and restoration efforts. By minimizing impacts of landward stressors, promoting and advancing their restoration, protection, and conservation, expanding the usage of living shorelines, and facilitating salt marsh research, the salt marsh habitats currently in place will continue and be able to migrate. The second strategy is to facilitate this migration wherever possible through conserving migration corridors and researching and assessing potential areas for migration. In addition, making sure that salt marsh migration is a priority when it comes to infrastructure planning is critical for the survival of the salt marsh. Finally, incorporating crosscutting approaches is the third strategy. This involves more research, pursuing funding, encouraging policy and management adjustments, and, perhaps most importantly, taking the time to communicate, engage with, and educate target communities and audiences. Without public awareness and support, the conservation and protection of the salt marsh ecosystem in North Carolina, and the South Atlantic region as a whole, will not be very effective.

NCSMAP is a great start for protecting salt marsh wetlands in our state, but it is going to take some time before all of these strategies pick up speed. In the meantime, education and community outreach will be the best way to learn about the issues and determine the methods that work for people and nature. Recognizing this, the North Carolina Salt Marsh Steering Committee (SMSC) established a Stakeholder Advisory Panel, consisting of over 100 public and private stakeholders, to provide guidance and feedback on how the actions proposed by SASMI and NCSMAP are doing in our state. By working together, the salt marsh habitats, and all of the natural and cultural resources they contain, can be preserved for years to come.

There are eleven lizard species that call North Carolina home. Well, thirteen, if you include the two introduced species, the Mediterranean gecko and the Texas horned lizard. This month’s weird and wonderful focus is on the Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis. This lizard ranges throughout the coastal plain, piedmont, and foothills of the state and can be green, brown, or green and brown in color. Many lizards found in the brown form have a lighter stripe that runs down their back, and a few individuals may even have a crest or ridgeline along their neck and back. Green anoles can be found on the ground, along fences, on structures, and even in trees, as they have sticky toe pads that help their grip.

Males of this species are highly territorial: when approached by a rival, a male green anole will extend his bright pink dewlap, or throat fan, and bob his head up and down. If that is not enough to frighten away the intruder, a fight may ensue. One male’s territory can be as small as 1 cubic meter, but it can overlap with the home ranges of 2 to 3 females, whom he courts by bobbing his head up and down. The sight of a male performing his head bobbing sets off a domino effect of physiological responses in the female, which eventually leads to her laying an egg, one at a time, throughout the spring and summer months. The eggs are laid in shallow depressions of sand, rotting wood, leaf litter, and other similar substrate; when the baby lizards hatch after 7 weeks, they are only around 2 ½ inches long. As the days shorten towards the end of summer, the reproductive organs of both the males and females become smaller in size. Adults and juveniles feast on small invertebrates, such as crickets, grasshoppers, and flies, but nectar has also been recorded as a source of food.

So…green anoles are like any other lizard in North Carolina? Wrong! Take another look at the first paragraph of this post, where it says, “Many lizards found in the brown form…” and mentioned that they can also come in the color green. Green anoles are weird and wonderful because they can change color from bright green to brown and vice versa! They are the only color-changing lizards that we have in our state. Their physiological color change is due to specialized cells called chromatophores. Chromatophores contain pigments and/or nanostructures that, when rearranged, result in a rapid color change. There are many different kinds of chromatophores: green anoles have melanophores, which contain organelles called melanosomes. Melanosomes exclusively hold melanin, and the ones present in dermal melanophores determine the color. Specifically, the larger an area (aka distribution) of melanosomes means more light is absorbed, resulting in a darker color being produced. Alright, so what triggers a green anole to decide to change from one color to another? That is less understood, though we know that temperature can affect how quickly chromatophores can rearrange their internal nanostructures and pigments. Thus, it has been hypothesized that these lizards change colors to control whether they absorb or reflect heat. It has also been suggested that they change color in response to social behavioral cues from other members of their species. Regardless, we North Carolinians are fortunate that these small jewels of the lizard world grace our state.