South Branch Preserve Update Two - Erosion Control

The restoration of the South Branch Preserve property by The Land Conservancy of New Jersey was started after the purchase of the property in May of 2010. The previous owner had constructed 2 gravel roads, 8 stream crossings, 2 storm water catch basins and was ready to construct 16 new homes there. The Land Conservancy developed a plan to restore the site back to forest by a strict September 30th deadline, as per DEP rules.

 

During the restoration process 14 various sized vernal type ponds were created,

the roads were covered in several inches of soil, 

and the stream crossings were re-created to act like natural stream crossings. 

Soil was spread in the disturbed areas and native warm season grasses and native wildflower seed were planted.

A 100 acre fence was erected to surround this area and keep the deer out.  This fence will help the 1280 various trees, shrubs and perennials that were planted on the site to flourish.  

After a very wet fall, extremely snowy winter (over 80 inches of snow fell), and a wet spring, many of the seeds started to sprout and fill in the areas, with almost all of the trees, shrubs, and perennials surviving the harsh winter. Once the soil really warmed up in late May the grasses, wildflowers and other flora took off in a growing spurt through August.

 

 

This helped to reduce most of the erosion problems that may have occurred during restoration.

On June 28, 2011 the original restoration crew from Paul Steinbeiser Inc. along with several employees at The Land Conservancy worked at the site to minimize the erosion problems, bringing in only light machinery to reduce disturbances to the new plant growth. The machinery was used to reduce some of the erosion that was forming near several of the streams that flow through the preserve. Several areas were raked, re-seeded and covered with a light layer of straw to quickly establish a groundcover.

Over the next two months many of the annual oats grew tall and many of the perennial seeds had sprouted and were in bloom. Luckily the lush growth of these plants greatly reduced the chances for significant erosion that would have been caused by the four intense storms from the period of Mid-August through September. More plans are in the works to continue to monitor and help control any future erosion problems at the site.

Dennis Briede

Stewardship Manager