WSA’s Fieldtrip to the Bacon Ridge Branch Stream Restoration Site

GV Restoration Specialist Jack Turner and Stream Scientist Laura Kelm
GV Restoration Specialist Jack Turner and Stream Scientist Laura Kelm

Two members of Team GreenVest—Stream Scientist Laura Kelm and Restoration Specialist Jack Turner—hosted a group of the Anne Arundel Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA) Spring Conference attendees and WSA staff at GreenVest’s Bacon Ridge Branch Stream Restoration Project on Monday, February 21. The weather was perfect for a walk in the woods to learn about this innovative project and observe it in action.

Crossing the Bacon Ridge Branch Stream
Crossing the Bacon Ridge Branch Stream

GreenVest and our project partners approached the Bacon Ridge Branch Stream Restoration Project with a ‘lighter touch’ approach, utilizing materials sourced on site to create structures that raised the water surface elevation to reconnect the stream to its floodplain. This nature-based method greatly reduces the amount of sediment and pollutants delivered to the receiving South River. It also provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and native plants. With the higher water elevations, the streams can access the floodplain, spreading out and slowing down storm flows and ‘rehydrating’ the previously drained soils and historic wetlands adjacent to the stream channels.

The project was completed to support the pollution reduction goals of MDOT-SHA alongside our project partners Biohabitats, EQR, Coastal Resources Inc., and many more.

Thank you to the Watershed Stewards Academy for bringing out this group of 20 environmentalists to learn about the work GreenVest does and see for themselves why it is so important!