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The Hackensack Meadowlands District is a
32-square mile area located in northeastern New Jersey, less than five miles from New York City. Marsh Resources Inc. (a subsidiary of The Williams
Companies) conceived the idea of using corporate surplus lands to establish a
206-acre salt marsh wetland mitigation bank to provide a wetland mitigation
alternative for the parent company and for approved development projects
permitted in the Meadowlands area.
The Marsh Resources Meadowlands Mitigation
Bank is located in Bergen
County, New Jersey. Phase I of the Bank is comprised of 120 acres of
restored salt marsh habitat. Prior to construction, the site owned by the
parent company, was a degraded common reed monoculture underlain with dredge
spoils and peat that were isolated from tidal inundation due to previous disturbances. Mitigation credit was generated, by lowering
site elevations with mechanical excavation and hydraulic dredging to restore
tidal flow. A meandering tidal channel network and island habitat complex was
created and enhanced, re-establishing desired native plant species within a
variety of natural habitats.
Today, the marsh is filled with healthy,
vigorous plants that produce seed. One year after completion of the initial
planting, the site is acting as a healthy, functional tidal salt marsh. The
bank will be monitored and maintained for at least five years and credits
have been used to satisfy permit conditions for the parent pipeline company
as well as being sold to other permittees in the
area.
Ref#: Abs-1-151
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