Evergreen Abbot Creek Wetland and Riparian Mitigation Bank – Fairfield, NJ

  Under Mr. Shotzberger’s direction, AKRF assisted Evergreen Environmental, LLC on the design and construction of the Abbot Creek Mitigation Bank, located on Abbot Creek, a tidal tributary of the Delaware Bay, in Fairfield, New Jersey. The site was tidal marsh prior to the installation of a dike and one-way tide gates in the early 1950’s, and the reclaimed land was used for agricultural purposes. Evergreen acquired the property in 2010, with the intent of breaching the dike and reestablishing tidal flow, with an attendant restoration of tidal emergent wetlands. Following data collection and analysis, Mr. Shotzberger developed a conceptual mitigation bank design for inclusion in the Bank’s Prospectus. The Prospectus also included a wetland Functional Values Assessment that provided the technical justification for proposed credit ratios by restored habitat type. The Draft Prospectus was submitted to and reviewed the IRT, chaired by the USACE, Philadelphia District, in late 2012. Construction was completed in the spring of 2015. As of fall of 2018, the site was approaching its final vegetative success criteria, three years ahead of expectations.

Evergreen Abbot Creek Mitigation Bank in 2011 as agricultural field. (Shawn Shotzberger, with AKRF)

Evergreen Abbot Creek Mitigation Bank in 2018 as tidal salt marsh. (Shawn Shotzberger, with AKRF)

Evergreen Abbot Creek Mitigation Bank - 2016 planting  (Shawn Shotzberger, with AKRF)

Evergreen Abbot Creek Mitigation Bank  in 2018. (Shawn Shotzberger, with AKRF)