20130436 Ver 1_Year 1 Monitoring Report_20140110

To: Katie Merritt
From: David Knowles
Date: 08 January 2014
Re: Evans/Ballahack First Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Ms Merritt-
Included is the First Annual Report for the Evans/Ballahack Bank Parcel, Year 2013, Tar River
Mitigation Bank. The report was due December 2013. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Thank you,
David Knowles, Consultant for GES
252.757-1978, [e-mail]
Jeff Becker
919.215-3899, [e-mail]
Rs@Lil�
I-, J "A' -N- ' "I- " - -0

First Annual Report
IT,vans / Ballahack Bank Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Tar River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
Submitted to: Katie Merritt
Nutrient Offset Banking Coordinator
NCDENR-Division of Water Resources
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1650 Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

First Annual Report for Evans Ballahack Bank Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Tar River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
December 2013
Table of Contents
Page Number
Introduction and Background
3
Seedling Planting Design
4
Monitoring Plot Establishment
4
First Year Monitoring Plot Data Analysis
5
Overall Success, Continued Monitoring and Maintenance Plan
5
Tables
6
Figures 1 -5 (Project Maps)
9
Figures 6a -6d (Monitoring Plot Diagrams)
15
Figure 7 (Monitoring Plot Photographs)
19

First Annual Report for Evans Ballahack Bank Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Tar River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
December 2013
Introduction and Background
Greene Environmental Services, LLC (GES) of Snow Hill, North Carolina, in 2013, established
a riparian buffer /nutrient offset mitigation site in the Tar River Basin. The site is located east of
the Edgecombe County town of Tarboro, NC and may be accessed by driving east on US 264
approximately 5 miles from Tarboro (Figure 1). At Exit 491, take Chinquapin Road (SR 1524) 2
miles north to NC 111. Take a right turn on NC 111 and drive approximately 0.3 miles and take
a right turn onto Roberson School Road (SR 1524). Continue on Roberson School Road for
approximately 0.6 miles and take a right turn onto the unnamed farm road with circular metal
grain storage buildings located in the distance from the road. Continue 0.3 miles on farm road to
a bridge over a drainage canal. The project site is located to the east of the canal and south of the
metal buildings along a streamside tree line (Figures 2 and 3). The purpose of the nutrient
mitigation bank is to improve water quality within the Tar River Basin by reducing nutrient and
sediment inputs to the watershed and provide off -site mitigation for development requiring
nutrient offsets.
The bank parcel is located within the Lower Tar Watershed (HUC: 03020103). The bank parcel
buffers an un -named tributary to Ballahack Canal which in turn is a tributary to Conetoe Creek
which enters the Tar River near the Pitt County town of Falkland, NC. Ballahack Canal is an
impaired stream with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources —
Division of Water Resources designation: 28- 87 -1.2 C NSW 8.4 mi. AL B -9 SS - -02 I FS. The
local landscape is in row crop agriculture, cut -over forest scrubland and forest. Soils range from
well drained loamy sands to very poorly drained loams (Figure 4). In the 2012 growing season,
prior to the installation of tree seedlings, the site was in soybean production.
The bank parcel is 10 acres, including 5.45 acres (237,402 square feet) of Tar - Pamlico riparian
buffer credit and 4.55 acres (198,198 square feet) of nutrient offset buffer credit (Figures 5a and
5b). Nitrogen and phosphorus credits generated by the nutrient offset buffet total 10,342.24 lb -N
at 2,273.02 lb -N /acre and 666.121b -P at 146.4 lb -P. /acre. This bank parcel was established under
the terms and conditions of the Greene Environmental Services Tar- Pamlico River Basin
Riparian Buffer and Nutrient Offset Umbrella Bank made and entered into by Mr. Bobby Ham of
Greene Environmental Services, LLC, acting as the Bank Sponsor and the North Carolina
Department of Environment and Natural Resources — Division of Water Resources. In October
2012, a stream determination was recorded by Martin Richmond of DWR and a preliminary site
visited was made by Katie Merritt of DWR; the site was determined to be suitable for nutrient
offset mitigation and riparian buffer.

The parcel is located in the Edgecombe County Drainage District #2 which includes Ballahack
Canal. The Drainage District maintains a 20 -foot easement along the Canal. When designing the
Evans Ballahack Bank Parcel the area under easement was avoided such that the easement nor
any drainage structures were encumbered by the Bank.
Seedling Planting Design
The Evans /Ballahack Bank Parcel was initially planted with character trees in February and
March of 2013. The suite of tree species selected for the bank parcel should be well- adapted or
tolerant to the soil and drainage conditions throughout the site.
Soils at the Evans /Ballahack mitigation site were loams and sandy loams and ranged from very
poorly drained soils to well drained; historic ditching has most likely increase the rate of soil
drainage (Figure 4). Bareroot seedlings were obtained from the North Carolina Forest Service
Nursery, Claridge Nursery, Goldsboro, NC. All tree seedlings planted generally ranged in height
from 1 foot to 4 feet. The species most frequently planted on soils with poor drainage were bald
cypress, black gum and river birch (Table 1). The species most frequently planted on better
drained soils were red oak and white oak. Persimmon, yellow poplar, sycamore, water oak and
willow oak were planted throughout with the exception of areas which exhibited frequent
ponding. Seedlings were planted in rows roughly paralleling the buffered stream at l Oft by l Oft
spacings.
A total of 5000 bareroot seedlings, thus averaging 500 seedlings per acre, of ten character
species were planted at the Evans /Ballahack parcel during February and March 2013 (Table 2).
Yellow poplar, black gum, white oak and bald cypress were the most frequently planted species,
accounting for 52% of the seedlings planted. River birch, sycamore, water oak and willow oak
accounted for 40% of the total seedlings planted. Persimmon and red oak accounted for 8% of
the total seedlings planted. While planting, soils, microsite and surface drainage conditions were
noted and appropriate species were planted on these sites (Table 1).
Monitoring Plot Establishment
Surveyed boundary points were demarked with 6 -foot metal T -posts and the boundary between
the mitigation parcel and the adjacent agricultural land was marked with white, 5 -foot PVC posts
atop metal rods at 100 -foot intervals. Four, 1 Om by l Om (0.0247 -acre) monitoring plots were
established on the parcel using CVS protocols (Figures 5a and 5b). Tracts 2 and 4 each have one
plot; the largest tract, Tract 3, has two plots. The corners of each plot were marked with white,
10 -foot PVC posts atop metal rods. Seedlings within the monitoring plots were flagged with
blue, plastic, flagging tape and white pinflags. All seedlings within each plot were located and
mapped (Figures 6a -6d). Plot photographs were made from a location at the northwest corner
with a view toward the southeast corner (Figure 7).
4

First Year Monitoring Plot Data Analysis
As per discussions with NC DENR, Division of Water Resources staff, seedlings of water oak
and willow oak were not used as criteria to measure seedling establishment success in
Monitoring Plot BLK -3. Plot BLK -3 is located approximately 100 feet from a mature forest
stand on property adjacent to the Bank Parcel. The mature stand contains specimens of water oak
and willow oak thus they are potential sources of propagules for natural colonization. The other
three monitoring plots are of sufficient distance from the mature stand that natural colonization
was deemed unlikely. The data analyses that follow exclude water oak and willow oak counts in
Plot BLK -3.
In mid October, 2013, at the end of the first growing season an average seedling density among
the four monitoring plots was 11.3 +1.5 seedlings per plot (Table 3). Thus the average density of
455.5 +137.8 seedlings per acre (Table 4). Plot BLK -1 in Tract 2 had the greatest density with 16
seedlings per 100m2 plot, thus 647.8 seedlings per acre. Plot BLK -3 in Tract 3 had the lowest
density with 8 countable seedlings, thus 323.9 seedlings per acre.
The most frequently encountered species within the monitoring plots were blackgum (Nyssa
sylvatica) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) accounting for 22.2 percent and 17.8 percent,
respectively, and 40 percent of the total seedlings, collectively (Table 5). Willow oak (Quercus
phellos), water oak (Quercus nigra) and sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) accounted only 11
percent of the total seedlings, collectively. American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
seedlings were planted in the Parcel but were not recorded within the monitoring plots.
A comparison of seedling success in the monitoring plots at the end of the first growing season
(October 2013) to the initial plantings in January and February 2013 indicated that four species
exhibited no mortality; these were: river birch (Betula nigra), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis),
water oak (Quercus nigra) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) (Table 6). Yellow poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera) experienced the highest mortality. For several seedlings, of multiple
species, portion of the aboveground tissue had died -back or been grazed by deer but coppice
sprouting had occurred from the base of the plants.
Overall Success, Continued Monitoring and Maintenance Plan
The Evans /Ballahack Parcel will be monitored during the 2014 growing season to ensure that the
parcel boundaries are maintained and that any easement terms are in compliance. Between late
August and October of 2014, the monitoring plots will be assessed and photographed and the
second annual report submitted to the NC Division of Water Resources. Based on a visual and
quantitative assessment of site conditions within and exterior to the monitoring plots during the
2013 growing season, remedial planting of selected areas will be undertaken in January or
February of 2014. If control of invasive species or competing species is deemed necessary,
glyphosate herbicide will be applied using backpack sprayers as well as manual and mechanical
(portable line trimmers) methods of control. Subsequent monitoring will be conducted between
late August and October and annual reports submitted to DWR for a total of five growing
seasons, pending final compliance.
5

Table 1. Species suitability for soils at the Evans /Ballahack Mitigation Bank in Edgecombe County, NC.
Greene Environmental Services, LLC, Snow Hill, NC.
Tract
Dominant Soils
Soil Drainage
Species Suitability
1
Roanoke loam (Ro)
Poorly drained
river birch, yellow poplar, black gum,
Percent
of Total
Betula ni rra
River birch
sycamore
2
Cape Fear loam (Ca)
Very poorly
river birch, persimmon, yellow poplar, black
10
Diospyros virginiana
drained
um, sycamore, bald cypress
3
Cape Fear loam (Ca)
Very poorly
river birch, persimmon, yellow poplar, black
4
Liriodendron tuli i era
drained
gum, sycamore, bald cypress
250
Altavista fine sandy loam, 0 to
Well drained
river birch, persimmon, yellow poplar, black
14
3 percent slopes (AaA)
Black um
gum, sycamore, white oak, willow oak,
200
300
50
water oak
4
Ballahack fine sandy loam
Very poorly
river birch, persimmon, yellow poplar, black
100
(Ba)
drained
gum, sycamore, bald cypress
10
Portsmouth fine sandy loam
Very poorly
river birch, persimmon, yellow poplar, black
50
(Pu)
drained
gum, sycamore, bald cypress
14
Conetoe loamy sand, 0 to 4
Well drained
river birch, persimmon, yellow poplar, black
50
percent slopes (CeB)
50
gum, sycamore, white oak, willow oak,
10
Quercus phellos
Willow oak
water oak
Table 2. Bare -root seedlings planted during February and March, 2013, in four tracts at the 10 -acre
Evans /Ballahack Mitigation Bank in Edgecombe County, NC. Greene Environmental Services, LLC,
Snow Hill, NC.. First Annual Report, 2014.
Numbers of Seedlings of Character Tree Species Planted
Seedling Species
Common
Name
Tract
1
Tract
2
Tract
3
Tract
4
Total
Number of
Seedlings
Percent
of Total
Betula ni rra
River birch
75
125
200
100
500
10
Diospyros virginiana
Persimmon
0
100
50
50
200
4
Liriodendron tuli i era
Yellow po lar
100
250
300
50
700
14
N ssa s lvatica
Black um
50
200
300
50
600
12
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
50
100
300
50
500
10
Quercus alba
White oak
50
50
550
50
700
14
Quercus nigra
Water oak
50
50
350
50
500
10
Quercus phellos
Willow oak
0
150
300
50
500
10
Quercus rubra
Red oak
25
25
100
50
200
4
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
0
200
200
200
600
12
Totals
400
1250
2650
700
5000
100
M

Table 3. Seedling counts by species in 10 m by 10 in (0.0247 -acre) monitoring plots recorded in October
2013. Evouu/Bo||uback Mitigation Bank in Edgecombe [oun(y NC. Greene Environmental Services,
LLC` Snow Hill, NC. First Annual Report, 20|].
Seedling Species
Common Name
BLK-1
BLK-2
BLK-3
BLK-4
Average
(±SD)
Among Plots
Betula nigra_
River birch
81.0
121.5
0.0
0.0
50.6+60.7
Diospyros virginiana
Am minon
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0+0.0
Driodendron tulipifera
Yellow po lar
40.5
81.0
81.0
0.0
50.6+38.8
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
121.5
81.0
0.0
121.5
101.2+23.4
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
0.0
81.0
0.0
0.0
20.2+40.5
Quercus alba
White oak
0.0
0.0
121.5
121.5
60.7+70.1
Quercus n�qa
Water oak
0.0
0.0
0.0
81.0
20.2+40.5
Quercus phellos
Willow oak
0.0
40.5
0.0
0.0
10.1+20.2
Quercus rubra
Red oak -
0.0
40.5
40.5
81.0
40.5+33.1
Taxodium clistichum
Bald cypress
323.9
0.0
0.0
- 0.0
81.0+161.9
Totals
16
11
8
to
11.3+3.4
Table 4. Seedling per acre based onseedling counts in 10nohv 10 no(3.0247-uo,c) monitoring
plots recorded io October 20}].Evana8Buhhouk Mitigation Bank in Edgecombe County, NC. Greene
Environmental Services, LLC, Snow Hill, NC. First Annual 2013.
Seedling Species
Common Name
BLK-1
BLK-2
BLK-3
BLK-4
Average
Among Plots
Betula nigra_
River birch
81.0
121.5
0.0
0.0
50.6+60.7
Diospyros virginiana
Am minon
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0+0.0
Driodendron tulipifera
Yellow po lar
40.5
81.0
81.0
0.0
50.6+38.8
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
121.5
81.0
0.0
121.5
101.2+23.4
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
0.0
81.0
0.0
0.0
20.2+40.5
Quercus alba
White oak
0.0
0.0
121.5
121.5
60.7+70.1
Quercus n�qa
Water oak
0.0
0.0
0.0
81.0
20.2+40.5
Quercus phellos
Willow oak
0.0
40.5
0.0
0.0
10.1+20.2
Quercus rubra
Red oak -
0.0
40.5
40.5
81.0
40.5+33.1
Taxodium clistichum
Bald cypress
323.9
0.0
0.0
- 0.0
81.0+161.9
Totals
647.8
445.3
323.9
404.9
455.5+137.8

Table 5. Species relative density, as percentage of seedlings in 10 in by 10 m (0.0247 -acre) monitoring
plots recorded in October 2013. Evans /Ballahack Mitigation Bank in Edgecombe County, NC. Greene
Fnvirnnmentn1 Cervices f .C'_ Snow Hill. NC. First Annual Report. 2013.
Seedling Species
Common Name
BLK-
1
BLK-
2
BLK-
3
BLK-
4
Overall Percent
Rel. Den. Among
Plots
Betula ni ra
River birch
12.5
27.3
0.0
0.0
11.1
Dios yros virginiana
Amer. Persimmon
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Liriodendron tuli i era
Yellow poplar
6.3
18.2
25.0
0.0
11.1
N ssa sylvatica
Blackgum
18.8
18.2
25.0
1 30.0
22.2
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
0.0
18.2
0.0
0.0
4.4
uercus alba
White oak
0.0
0.0
30.0
13.3
uercus ni a
Water oak
0.0
0.0
ET
20.0
4.4
uercus hellos
Willow oak
0.0
9.1
0.0
2.2
Quercus rubra
Red oak
0.0
9.1
12.5
20.0
8.9
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
50.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
17.8
Totals
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Table 6. Comparison of seedling density per acre between the initial planting and the end of the first
growing season; based on seedling counts in 10 m by 10 m (0.0247 -acre) monitoring plots recorded in
October 2013. Negative number represents a decline in seedling density. Evans /Ballahack Mitigation
Bank in Edgecombe County, NC, Greene Environmental Services, LLC, Snow Hill, NC. First Annual
Report, 2013.
Seedling Species
Common Name
January/February
2013, Initial
Planting,
Seedlings Per
Acre
October 2013,
First Year
Monitoring,
Seedlings Per
Acre
Change in
Seedling
Density Per
Acre
Betula ni ra
River birch
50.6 +60.7
70.9 +50.9
0.0
Diospyros vir iniana
Am. persimmon
0.0 +0.0
0.0 +0.0
0.0
Liriodendron tuli i era
Yellow poplar
91.1 +38.8
50.6 +38.8
-40.5
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
121.5 +33.1
101.2 +23.4
-20.2
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
20.2 +40.5
20.2 +40.5
0.0
uercus alba
White oak
70.9 +60.7
60.7 +70.1
-10.1
uercus ni ra
Water oak
20.2 +40.5
20.2 +40.5
0.0
uercus phellos
Willow oak
30.4 +38.8
10.1 +20.2
-20.2
Quercus rubra
Red oak
50.6 +50.9
40.5 +33.1
-10.1
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
81.0 +161.9
81.0 ±161.9
0.0
Totals
536.4 +137.8
455.5 +137.8
-81.0
n.

GEGFeene Environmental Services. LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28580
Naml,
1000
2000
EMEM23=
17L i

Tra ct 1
Riparian Buffer Area: 0.46 ac (20,038 sq. ft)
Nutrient Offset Area: 0.04 ac (1,742 sq. ft)
j
I
97-
z
z
z.,
Ld
5
> w
CY
Zm
MEW
LL-
I
Tract 2
Riparian Buffer Area: 1.26 acres (54,886 sq. ft)
Nutrient Offset Area: 1.56 ac (67,954 sq. ft)
Tar River Buff er
2m
m
ME
Match Line
mim
MEW
Tract 2
Riparian Buffer Area: 1.26 acres (54,886 sq. ft)
Nutrient Offset Area: 1.56 ac (67,954 sq. ft)
Tar River Buff er
2m
m
ME
Match Line
mim

WNW
Aiparian Buffer Area: 0.93 ac (40,511 sq. ft)
Nutrient Offset Area: 0.10 ac (4,356 sq. ft)
G,�E
p
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
90 Hawn Prodme Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 26580
Tar River Buffer Area
0110" Norient Off'set Area
Figure 5b — Survey Excerp-j
am

Figure 6aa Monitoring Plot BLK -1 seedling locations. Greene Environmental Services, LLC.
Evan s/Bal lahack First Annual Report, 2013.
10 meters
NE SE
NW SW
1
Bald cypress
10
Black gum
2
Yellow poplar
I l
Bald cypress
3
Black gum
12
River birch
4
River birch
13
Bald cypress
5
Bald cy ress
14
Yellow poplar DEAD
6
Bald cypress
15
Willow oak
7
Bald cypress
16
Yellow poplar DEAD
8
Bald cypress
17
Black gum
9
Bald cypress
18
Willow oak
15

Figure 6b. Monitoring Plot BLK -2 seedling locations. Greene Environmental Services, LLC.
Evans /BallahackFirst Annual Report, December 2013.
10 meters
NE SE
M
1
River birch
7 _
Sycamore
2
_
River birch
8
River birch
3
Black gum
9
Yellow poplar
4
White oak DEAD
10
Red oak
5
Willow oak
1 1
Yellow poplar
6
Sycamore
12
Black guru
16
M

Figure 6e. Monitoring Plot B[K-3 seedling |oou1iune. Greene Environmental Services, LLC.
Evan s/Bo|kdiuuk First Annual Report, 2O|3.
101�|
NE SE
NW Sw
I
Yellow poplar
6
White oak
2
Black gum
7
White oak
3
Black gum DEAD
8
Yellow poplar
4
Red oak
9
Black gum
5
White oak
10
Yellow poplar DEAD
17

Figure 6do Monitoring Plot BLK -4 seedling locations. Greene Environmental Services, LLC. Evans /
Ballahack, First Annual Report, 2013.
10 meters
NE SF
NW SW
I
Black Burn
8
Red oak
2
Black gUrn
9
Black um
3
Water oak
10
Yellow poplar DEAD
4
White oak
11
Red oak
5
White oak
12
Water oak
6
Water oak DEAD
13
Black gum DEAD
White oak
w

Figure 7
Monitoring Photographs,
Plot BLK -1, 'Tract 2
Plot i
I

Figure
Evans/Ballahack Monitoring Plot Photographs, October
Plot BLK -3, Tract 3
Plot BLK-4, Tract 4
Co