Seneca Creek Wetland Mitigation

Overview

In collaboration with the property owners and multiple government, regulatory, environmental, and historical agencies, a historic tobacco farm located at the mount of the Seneca Creek was transformed into a protected non-tidal forested wetland boasting over 25 acres of high-quality ecological habitat.

Project Description

For nearly 200 years, the landowner’s family has owned an historic tobacco farm at the mouth of Seneca Creek in Baltimore County. In the early 1900s, much of the farm was sold due to developmental pressures. To protect the home and remaining farmland, the property owners reached out to Ecotone to explore ecologically sound and sustainable solutions to preserve the property.  Because of the historic nature of the property there were many challenges in obtaining regulatory approvals, including an extensive archaeological survey to ensure no historic structures, resources, or artifacts would be impacted. 

Ecotone and the landowner, working collectively with Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, Baltimore County, Maryland Aviation Administration, Maryland Department of Environment, Maryland Historical Trust, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were able to establish wetland and forest mitigation banks to create and restore habitat and permanently preserve the land through conservation easements.

Ecotone repurposed the existing farmland to establish over 13 acres of critical area reforestation and 14 acres of diverse, self-sustaining, functional wetlands improving wildlife habitat, water quality, nutrient uptake, and flood attenuation. Key elements included grading down the fields to create deliberate, messy and rough wetland pockets to ensure the area remains wet enough to support wetland plants and amphibians. Additionally, plants and trees were added to expand the upland buffer and forest within the Maryland’s Critical Area. On-going monitoring and maintenance will ensure long-term success and protection of high-quality ecological habitat.

Highlights

• Habitat Restoration
• Land Preservation
• Mitigation
• Ecosystem Credits

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