20100408 Ver 1_Year 5 Monitoring Report_20160104

Rudolph Buffer Mitigation Site
Annual Vegetation Monitoring Report
2015 Growing Season
Year 5 Monitoring Report
Prepared by:
Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC
302 Jefferson Street, Suite 110
Raleigh, NC 27605
Monitoring Field Work by:
NCSU Water Quality Group
Campus Box 7637
Raleigh, NC 27695
December 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Summary..............................................................................................................1
2.0 Introduction 1
.........................................................................................................
3.0 Vegetation Monitoring....................................................................................... 2
3.1 Success Criteria 2
.........................................................................................
3.2 Description of Species and Monitoring Protocol .................................. 3
3.3 Results of Vegetation Monitoring........................................................... 3
3.4 Vegetation Observations.......................................................................... 5
3.5 Conclusions 5
Appendix A Site Photos

Rudolph Mitigation Site
Annual Monitoring Report for 2015 (Year 5)
1.0 SUMMARY
The Rudolph Buffer/Nutrient Offset Site is located in southeast Johnston County, NC on the
boundary with Wayne County, approximately eight miles west of Goldsboro, NC on Buckleberry
Road (SR 2541). The site is located in the Neuse River Basin within the USGS HUC 03020201
and North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) sub -basin 03-04-02.
The site is on an old floodplain terrace between Moccasin Creek and Raccoon Swamp. The site
drains into Moccasin Creek before flowing approximately 2.25 miles into the Neuse River.
Natural drainage patterns throughout the watershed have been altered by cultivation and
dredging of the channels. The site is comprised of two parcels, the Worley Tract and the
Kornegay Tract, totaling 116.9 acres. The proposed easement, including proposed Neuse riparian
buffer mitigation and nutrient uptake, encompasses 44.63 acres.
Within the proposed mitigation area, the channels drain surface water and groundwater from the
surrounding row crop agriculture. The primary land use in the project vicinity is woodlands and
corn production. Within the proposed conservation easement the primary land use was
agricultural row crops; specifically corn production. There are also several small areas of
bottomland hardwood trees and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pine plantation. The
bottomland hardwoods about the downstream end of the drainage channels, but do not extend the
full 200 feet from the top of bank. These areas are an assemblage of mature and successional
trees. Beaver impoundments are flooding some of these areas. The CRP land is planted in
successional pine trees, and will be removed from the CRP program prior to placement of the
conservation easement. The maintained channel banks contain typical disturbed herbaceous
species including soft rush (Juncus effuses), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica),
narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia), woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus), sedges (Carex sp.), and
fescue (Festuca sp.).
The monitoring results for 2015 (Year 5) documented an average of 392 surviving stems per acre
and an average survival rate of 87%. The site has achieved the final vegetative success criteria
of 320 live planted stems per acre at the end of Year 5.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
A total of 44.63 acres of riparian area, including Neuse riparian buffers were restored on the
Rudolph Mitigation Site. As specified in the Restoration Plan, the Rudolph Buffer/Nutrient
Offset Site was planted with appropriate native species within the protected Neuse riparian
buffer easement. The species selected consisted of native species observed in the surrounding
forest and species know to occur in similar environments. The Neuse riparian buffer area was
planted in bare root tree seedlings to achieve an initial density of 680 planted stems per acre. The
objective of reforesting the buffer and riparian areas adjacent to channels is to provide water
quality and habitat functions within the sensitive Neuse River watershed.

PLANTING PLAN
Revegetation of the site included planting bare root trees and controlling invasive species
growth. The target communities were Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp (Blackwater Subtype)
along the channels grading to Bottomland Hardwood Forest downstream, and Mesic Mixed
Hardwood Forest on the drier upslope. The communities were as defined by Schafale and
Weakely (1990). The planting plan consisted of two planting zones. Zone 1 occupies the wetter,
lower landscape areas, and Zone 2 occupies the drier, higher landscape areas. Near -channel areas
are in the lower landscape areas. The initial planting of bare root trees occurred in February
2011. Tree species specified for planting on the Rudolph Site are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Tree Species Planted in 2011
Common Name
Scientific Name
Total
Planted
Percent
Composition
Zone 1 wet conditions
River Birch
Betula nigra
2,000
26.7%
Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
1,100
14.7%
Overcup Oak
Quercus l rata
1,200
16.0%
Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
1,100
14.7%
Bald C ress
Taxodium distichum
2,100
28.0%
Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Total Stems Planted
7,500
Zone Z mesic conditions
Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
2,700
12.6%
Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
2,700
12.6%
Laurel Oak
Quercus lauri olia
2,700
12.6%
Swamp Chestnut Oak
Quercus michauxii
2,700
12.6%
Water Oak
Quercus nigra
2,700
12.6%
Cherry Bark Oak
Quercus pagoda
1,800
8.4%
Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
3,500
16.3%
Shumard Oak
Quercus shumardii
2,700
12.6%
Total Stems Planted
21,500
--
3.0 VEGETATION MONITORING
3.1 Success Criteria
Neuse riparian buffer vegetative success criteria are based upon the density and growth of target
tree species as shown in Table 1. Vegetative success criteria will be based upon guidelines set
forth in the Guidelines for Riparian Buffer Restoration prepared by the North Carolina
Ecosystem Enhancement Program and will be defined as a success rate equivalent to 320 live
planted stems per acre at the end of the 5 -year monitoring period.
2

3.2 Description of Species and Monitoring Protocol
The following monitoring protocol was designed to predict vegetative survivability and response
to different management treatments. Forty-eight plots in 8 different blocks were established on
the Rudolph Buffer Mitigation Site, to monitor approximately 5% of the site. Sampled vegetation
monitoring plots were 15m x 15m. The blocks were established within the Neuse riparian buffer
site to represent the range of conditions that exist on the site. The blocks and plots were
randomly located and randomly oriented within the buffer area. Plots were planted with a subset
of tree species to specifically measure tree growth response (height and diameter) to different
management techniques applied to the site including mowing, herbicide, fertilizer, mowing and
fertilizer, herbicide and fertilizer, and an untreated control. The five species studied included B.
nigra (Beni), F. pennsylvanica (Frpe), P. occidentalis (Ploc), Q. michauxii (Qumi), and T.
distichum (Tadi).
Plot construction involved using PVC pipe at each of the four corners to clearly and permanently
establish the area that was to be sampled. Four PVC pipes ten feet tall were placed at each corner
of the blocks to facilitate visual location of site throughout the five-year monitoring period. All
of the planted stems inside the plot were flagged with surveyor flagging to help in locating them
in the future.
3.3 Results of Vegetation Monitoring
The following table presents stem counts for each of the monitoring plots. Each planted tree
species is identified across the top row, and each plot is identified down the left column. The
number of surviving stems within each plot is identified in the corresponding species data
column.
Table 2. 2015 Vegetation Monitoring Plot Species Composition
Block-
Plot
Beni
Frpe
Ploc
Qumi
Tadi Total Stem per
acre
1-1
5
5
5
5
4 24 432.4324
1-2
5
5
5
5
5 25 450.4504
1-3
5
5
5
5
5 25 450.4504
1-4
4
5
5
4
4 22 396.3973
1-5
5
5
5
5
5 25 450.4504
1-6
5
5
5
5
5 25 450.4504
2-1
2
3
2
3
0 10 179.8603
2-2
3
5
3
2
2 15 270.2708
2-3
2
5
3
3
2 15 270.2708
2-4
3
5
5
2
5 20 360.3603
2-5
5
4
5
3
4 21 378.3783
2-6
3
5
4
5
4 21 378.3783
3-1
5
5
5
2
5 22 396.3973
3-2
5
4
5
4
5 23 414.0414
3-3
5
4
5
5
4 23 414.0414

3-4
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
3-5
3
4
4
3
4
18
324.3251
3-6
3
5
5
5
5
23
414.0414
4-1
3
5
2
3
2
15
270.2708
4-2
5
5
5
3
0
18
324.3251
4-3
3
4
2
5
1
15
270.2708
4-4
5
5
5
4
4
23
414.0414
4-5
5
4
5
4
5
23
414.0414
4-6
3
5
4
5
3
20
360.3603
5-1
4
5
5
3
5
22
396.3973
5-2
5
5
4
3
5
22
396.3973
5-3
5
5
5
2
5
22
396.3973
5-4
4
5
5
2
5
21
378.3783
5-5
5
5
5
4
4
23
396.3973
5-6
5
4
5
3
5
22
414.0414
6-1
5
4
3
3
5
20
360.3603
6-2
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
6-3
5
5
5
4
5
24
432.4324
6-4
5
4
5
4
5
23
414.0414
6-5
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
6-6
5
5
5
4
5
24
432.4324
7-1
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
7-2
5
5
5
3
5
23
414.0414
7-3
5
5
5
4
5
24
432.4324
7-4
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
7-5
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
7-6
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
8-1
5
5
5
4
5
24
432.4324
8-2
5
5
5
5
5
25
450.4504
8-3
5
5
5
2
5
22
396.3973
8-4
5
5
3
2
3
18
324.3251
8-5
2
5
4
3
4
18
324.3251
8-6
4
4
5
4
5
22
396.3973
Total
211
228
218
184
204
1045
--
Total
(As -built)
240
240
240
240
240
1200
Average Stems/Acre: 392.1987 Percent Survival of Planted Stems: 87%

Volunteer species were also monitored throughout the five-year monitoring period. Below is a
table of the most commonly found woody volunteer species.
Table 3. Volunteers within the Neuse riparian buffer Area
ID
Species
Common Name
FAC Status
A
Liquidambar styraciflua
Sweetgum
FAC+
B
Acer rubrum
Red Maple
FAC
C
Pinus taeda
Loblolly Pine
FAC
Naturally regenerating sweetgum and red maple seedlings were most abundant in Blocks 7 and 8
compared to other blocks. However, planted vegetation vigor was not affected by natural
regeneration.
3.4 Vegetation Observations
During this fifth growing season successional weeds such as dogfennel (Eupatorium
capillifolium) were slowly being replaced by either planted trees, naturally regenerating trees and
shrubs or dying off under tree canopy closure. There was only cursory mortality of planted trees
during this growing season. Deer browse was again evident among many of the green ash trees
(Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Deer browse of the ashes likely contributed to their mortality. Ditches
were predominately lined with rushes, (Juncus spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), red maple, and
elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis). No major invasive, exotic weed issues were
observed. Native blackberry (Rubus argutus) was abundant in several plots throughout the entire
planted area.
3.5 Conclusions
The 2015 vegetation monitoring data reflects that the overall site has achieved the final
vegetative success criteria of 320 surviving planted stems per acre by the end of Year 5. The
planted vegetation at the end of this fifth growing season is 392 trees per acre. At present there
are no invasive species issues to be addressed.

Appendix A. 2015 Site Photos

Block 1 -Rudolph Site Vegetation
Plot 1
Plot 2.
Plot 3.
Plot 4. Plot 5. Plot 6.

Block 2 -Rudolph Site Vegetation
Plot 1
Plot 2.
Plot 3.
Plot 4. Plot 5. Plot 6.

Block 3 -Rudolph Site Vegetation
Plot 1
Plot 2.
Plot 3.
Plot 4. Plot 5. Plot 6.

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Block 6 -Rudolph Site Vegetation
Plot 1
Plot 2.
Plot 3.
Plot 4. Plot 5. Plot 6.

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