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Home My WebLink About20190661 Ver1_MY3 Site Visit Sassarixa Meeting Minutes_20240410WILDLANDS ENGINEERING MEETING MINUTES DWR Monitoring Year 4 Site Visit Meeting: Sassarixa Swamp II Nutrient Offset and Buffer Mitigation Bank Parcel Neuse River Basin (Outside of the Falls Lake Watershed) DWR# 2019-0661v1 Date: April 10, 2024 Location: Old Olive Road, Smithfield, NC Attendees Andrew Friedman -Herring, Division of Water Resources Kaitlyn Hogarth, Wildlands Engineering, Inc Carolyn Lanza, Wildlands Engineering, Inc Andrew Radecki, Wildlands Engineering, Inc Overview Representatives of Wildlands Engineering, Inc. (Wildlands) met with representatives of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) to perform a Monitoring Year 4 site visit. During the visit DWR observed areas on -site that were supplementally planted in February 2023 and January 2024. Additionally, DWR assessed several areas within the easement which contained sweetgum (Liquidambarstyraciflua) stems and loblolly pines (Pinus taeda). The following notes provide a summary of on -site discussions. • Wildlands will sample additional mobile vegetation plots within previous supplementally planted areas, along the upper right portion of T3 and in the grassy area close to VP 16. An additional mobile vegetation plot will also be collected along TSB. The additional vegetation plot sampling will be done in the fall of monitoring year 4 and provided within the annual monitoring report. • Wildlands will put out localized soil amendments around the base of planted stems along the upper right portion of T3 to help increase tree height. Wildlands will provide a summary of work completed as well as an update on observed tree growth within the annual monitoring report. • DWR observed a large dead pine tree along T1 in-between vegetation plot 3 and 4. Minimal planted trees were observed within the original drip line of the tree. Trees were not planted due to the pine tree being alive at the time of as -built. DWR and Wildlands discussed if planting would now be necessary. DWR will follow up with Wildlands on their determination. • DWR agreed with Wildlands' decision to thin sweetgum stems near vegetation plot 13 and 14. Wildlands will perform thinning in monitoring year 4 and provide an update within the annual monitoring report. DWR assessed sweetgum stems within and around vegetation plot 16 and determined that thinning should be considered before closeout within the plot and the surrounding area, however, it is not an immediate concern.