Projects

Eastern Sanitary Landfill Solid Waste Management Facility, South Ditch Diversion Project

Coastal Resources, Inc. (CRI) provided environmental services on a Baltimore County Department of Public Works on-call engineering contract.  For the South Ditch Diversion Project at the Eastern Sanitary Landfill in White Marsh, CRI provided forest assessment services.

CRI conducted a Forest Stand Delineation (FSD) in accordance with the Baltimore County Forest Conservation Manual, and the MD State Forest Conservation Manual within the 6 acres of project investigation area.  CRI identified and characterized the forest stands in the project area in regards to successional stage, dominant and co-dominant species, size classes based on ranges of diameter at breast height (DBH), common understory and herbaceous species, percent canopy closure, prevalence of downed woody debris, and basal area.  CRI also identified the species, size, and condition of all trees measuring 30-inch diameter at breast height (DBH) or greater or 75% of the state champion of that species within the study area.  CRI used a handheld Trimble Global Positioning Unit (GPS) to survey the locations of specimen trees.

Once field work was complete, CRI prepared an FSD map according to the County and State manuals.  Among other features, the FSD map included, any 100-year floodplains, streams, delineated wetlands, required wetland and stream buffers, steep slopes, forest stands, topographic contours, soils data, identified specimen trees, and a site vicinity map.  Additionally, CRI completed a forest buffer analysis to confirm the limits of the forest buffer within the study area.  CRI prepared an FSD narrative that accompanied the FSD map.  The FSD map was submitted to the Baltimore County Environmental Impact Review Unit (IRU) for review and approval.  The FSD was approved without any revisions or comments from the IRU.  All work related to the FSD was led by one of CRI’s MDNR Qualified Professionals. 

Following approval of the FSD map, CRI prepared a Forest Conservation Plan (FCP), forest conservation worksheet, and a Baltimore County Forest Conservation Law Special Variance Application. CRI coordinated with the prime consultant and the Baltimore County IRU to determine how the total planting requirement for the project would be met.  Payment of fee-in-lieu of planting was agreed upon and the FCP and variance was approved by the IRU.

Location:

Baltimore County, MD

Client:

Baltimore County DPW Bureau of Solid Waste Management

Key Services:

  • Forest Stand Delineation
  • Forest Conservation Plan