LPT Can Help You with Resource Restoration
By conserving land you are protecting resources.
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You can also restore resources and ecosystems with the help of LPT, usually at no cost to the landowner. In some cases you may actually be paid to participate in this restoration.
How do you qualify?
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Restoration projects are suited for lands containing or adjacent to streams or wetlands. But you do not need to be within a stone’s throw of a water source. If your land is encroached by development, for instance, you may be eligible for mitigation credits. Furthermore, you may qualify if your land has eroded soils, or is proximate to large blocks of open space, which include forests and wildlife corridors. LPT is hoping to complete the conservation of one such connected block of 20,000 acres this year.
How does ecological restoration work?
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It relies on a public-private partnership between state (or federal) programs, municipalities, developers, private design/construction firms, and land trusts such as LPT. This may seem like a mouthful, but various arrangements between these stakeholders have been very successful in producing win-win outcomes.
In one version of this partnership, a municipality will earn credits for stormwater reduction or TMDL (total maximum daily load) limitation by offering a grant to fund the restoration of a degraded stream. A private company performs the extensive design and construction work, while LPT administers the grant. The funding drivers are conservation easement payments and grant programs. If conservation easements do not exist on the property, LPT can assist the landowner in choosing the most appropriate option.
In the case of a degraded stream or wetlands, interested landowners can contact LPT to learn about the restoration process. An initial design phase maps the landscape, then assesses available sources of funding. Once approved, the often-extensive construction phase begins. Finally, the restored stream buffer is replanted with native plants. The entire process can take up to three years, but the end result is worth the wait. Some form of future monitoring is agreed upon to ensure that the project is sustainable.
This collaborative process involves an understanding of the landowner’s needs, the landscape, local ecosystems, the pertinent regulatory framework, as well as municipal perogatives. LPT will liase at every step.
Here is a partial list of projects which qualify:
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Stream and wetland restoration
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Stormwater management
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Sediment and nutrient management
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Reforestation
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Habitat management in conjunction with the eradication of invasive
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What are the benefits of ecological restoration?
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Benefits range from the property itself to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Beyond ecosystem health, the property will also experience aesthetic and economic improvements. Locally, control of stormwater recharges the aquifer and reduces flooding and runoff. The reduction of sediment, nutrients, and chemicals caused by runoff in turn has a direct effect on the health of the Bay.
Here’s a partial list of other project benefits:
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Return of aquatic life, and promotion of biodiversity
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Replacement of invasives with native plants
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Healthier habitat supports wildlife, including birds
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Water quality and water supply
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Preservation of irreplaceable ecosystem services
Since natural systems such as streams, habitats, and soils degrade over time, many landowners can benefit from a variety of restoration projects without incurring any cost. LPT’s mission is to protect the conservation value of our landscape, primarily through the use of conservation easements. This commitment to a healthy environment also promotes perhaps the greatest benefit of all, quality of life.
How do I get started?
Contact LPT.
Call Ann Jones
annholmesjones@gmail.com
