20080511 Ver 2_Year 3 Monitoring Report_20151229

To: Katie Merritt,
NC Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Resources — Water Quality
Programs
From: David Knowles,
Consultant for Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Date: December 8, 2015
Re: La Grange Bank Parcel, Third Annual Report (2015)
Ms Merritt -
Included is the La Grange Bank Parcel, Third Annual Report for Year 2015. The report is also
on the included CD as a .pdf file.
Thank you,
David Knowles
[e-mail]
[phone]

Third Annual Monitoring Report
La Grange Bank Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
DWQ#: 08-0511v2
Year 2015
Submitted to: Katie Merritt
NC Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources — Water Quality Programs
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1650 Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Submitted by: Jeff Becker
1004 Glencastle Way
Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

Third Annual Monitoring Report
La Grange Bank Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
DWQ#: 08-0511v2 Year 2015
Table of Contents
Introduction and Background
Page 3
Monitoring and Results for Year 2015
Page 3
Overall Condition, Maintenance and Supplemental Plantings
Page 4
Tables 1-6
Pages 5-9
Figures 1-8
Pages 10-17

Third Annual Monitoring Report
La Grange Bank Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
DWQ#: 08-0511v2 Year 2015
Introduction and Background
Greene Environmental Services, LLC (GES) of Snow Hill, North Carolina added the La Grange
site to the GES Neuse River Basin Umbrella Mitigation Bank. The La Grange Bank Parcel is
located at the southwest intersection of NC 903 and Old Jason Road (SR 1501), north of
LaGrange, in Lenoir County, North Carolina (Figures 1 and 2). The latitude/longitude
coordinates of the site are approximately 77° 44.315 W and 35° 20.588N. The purpose of the
nutrient mitigation bank is to improve water quality within the Neuse 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 Middle Neuse Watershed (HUC: 03020202). The site
drains to Meeting House Branch (Stream Index # 27-72-3), which drains into Bear Creek
(Stream Index # 27-72-(0.1)), a major tributary to the Neuse River. According to the NC
Division of Water Quality Basinwide Information Management System, Meeting House Branch
is classified as C; Sw, NSW.
The Bank Parcel is 3.39 acres, including 0.87 acres of riparian buffer and 2.52 acres of nutrient
offset acreage (Figures 3 and 4). The Bank Parcel was established under the terms and
conditions of the GES Neuse River Basin Umbrella Mitigation Bank. The project site was in
agricultural cropland until 2009 and was first planted with character species during March of
2010. The first annual monitoring report was submitted to the Division of Water Resources in
2013; this is the third annual monitoring report.
In 2015, a second mitigation bank was established immediately adjacent to the La Grange Bank
Parcel. This bank is the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II and will be monitored separately
from the initial La Grange Bank Parcel and will be maintained with a separate mitigation credit
ledger.
Monitoring and Results for Year 2015
As specified in the La Grange Bank Parcel Development Package (BPDP), this report represents
the third year of vegetative monitoring. The BPDP requires the submission of an annual
monitoring report each of five successive years. The next (fourth) annual report will be
submitted no later December 31, 2016.

The La Grange Bank Parcel was initially planted with character trees in 2010 and 2011 at a rate
of 413 seedlings per acre (Table 1). Supplemental plantings were done in 2012 and 2013 at a
rate of 108 and 103 seedlings per acre, respectively. Thus prior to the submission of this first
annual monitoring report an estimated total of 624 seedlings per acre had been planted on the
3.39 -acre parcel.
In each of the two monitoring plots in the La Grange Parcel, tree stems were recorded by species
in September 2015. Plot locations are mapped in Figure 5. Vegetation plot photo points were
located at the northwestern corner of the plots (Figure 6).
During the 2015 monitoring effort, a total of 45 seedlings representing ten tree species were
recorded in the two monitoring plots, LAG -1 and LAG -2. The total average density was 910.9
trees per acre (Table 2). Thirty-eight of the 45 trees within the plots were from seedlings planted
by GES; average planted stem density was 769.2 tree stems per acre (Table 3). Thus eighty-four
percent of the trees were planted species; bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) accounted for 39.5
percent of the planted seedlings followed, in decreasing order by river birch (Betula nigra), black
gum (Nyssa sylvatica), and sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis). White oak (Quercus alba),
swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii) and cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) each accounted
for less than three percent of planted species total. (Table 4). Red maple (Acer rubrum), loblolly
pine (Pinus taeda) and black oak (Quercus velutina) became established via natural colonization.
Persimmon, green ash, yellow poplar, turkey oak, live oak, and pond cypress were planted on the
La Grange Parcel but were not recorded in the monitoring plots. Stems of river birch and
sycamore had the greatest average height among the ten species found within the plots (Table 5).
A comparison of second year (2014) monitoring data to the third year (2015) indicted an increase
in total stem density per acre in the monitoring plots from 870.4 to 910.9 stems per acre (Table
6). For planted species, stem density increased by 161.9 stems per acre but for naturally
colonizing species, stem density decreased by 121.5 stems per acre. The increase in stem density
of planted species is most likely due to resprouting from heavily grazed (rabbits and deer graze
heavily at the site) stems in 2014 and/or an undercount during the second year monitoring effort.
The decrease in stem density of naturally colonizing species was attributable to a decline in red
maple stems possibly due to grazing. For both total stem density and planted stem density, the
320 trees per acre success criterion was well exceeded.
Overall Condition, Maintenance and Supplemental Plantings
Vegetation establishment and growth has been good at the La Grange parcel. Growing
conditions, e.g, adequate rainfall, length of growing season and fertile soils, have been
advantageous since the initial plantings were undertaken. The height of some seedlings,
especially river birch, planted in 2010, now exceeds 3 in with diameters (dbh) of 8-10 cm. Other
species exhibit slower growth but are performing as expected. Browsing by deer has been
moderately problematic for seedlings in exposed areas and especially problematic for green ash
seedlings. There has been some evidence of depredation by rabbits and possibly beavers and
other rodents. Annual, herbaceous weed growth has been excessive; this would expectedly result
rd

in above -ground and below -ground competition with planted seedlings. However, the weeds
likely afford the seedlings some greater advantage by protecting them from browsing deer. In an
effort to control rabbit and rodent populations, two 15 -foot tall hawk perches were installed on
the site. Signage has been installed at key access locations identifying the Bank Parcel as a
conservation area, contact information and listing activities that are not allowable as per a
conservation easement.
Table 1. Approximate number of seedlings planted 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 on 3.39 acre tract
prior to the first annual monitoring effort. Year 2015 Annual Report, Greene Environmental
Services, LLC. September 2015.
*An error was made in the First Annual (2013) Report; planted seedlings of Quercus michauxii was unreported and
Q. pagoda was overestimated; the data in the above table reflects the correction.
Planted April
Planted
Species
Common
2013
Planted
February/
Totals
Name
January 2012
March 2010
and 2011
Betula nigra
River birch
50
50
400
450
Diospyros
Persimmon
0
25
0
25
vir iniana
Fraxinusenns
Green ash
0
0
200
200
lvanica
Liriodendron
Yellow poplar
0
20
0
20
tuli i era
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
0
30
200
230
Platanus
Sycamore
0
120
0
120
occidentalis
Quercus alba
White oak
0
25
0
25
Quercus laevis
Turkey oak
0
25
0
25
Quercus
Swamp
0
0
100
100*
michauxii
chestnut oak
Quercus pagoda
0
0
100
100*
oakrrybark
Quercus
Live oak
0
45
0
45
virginiana
Taxodium
Bald cypress
100
25
400
425
distichum
Taxodium
Pond cypress
200
0
0
200
ascendes
Total Seedlings Planted
350
365
1400
2115
Average Number Seedlings
103
108
413
624
Planted per Acre
*An error was made in the First Annual (2013) Report; planted seedlings of Quercus michauxii was unreported and
Q. pagoda was overestimated; the data in the above table reflects the correction.

Table 2. Stem density for all tree species in 100 m2 monitoring plots at La Grange Parcel. Third
Year Annual Report, 2015, Greene Environmental Services, LLC. September 2015.
Plot LAG -1
Plot LAG -2
Tract Avera es
Common
Species
Number
Stems
Number
Stems
Num.
Stems per
Name
Stems
per acre
Stems
per acre
Stems
acre
Acer rubrum
Red maple
3
121.5
1
40.5
2.0+1.4
81.0+_57.3
Betula nigra
River birch
2
81.0
8
323.9
5.0+4.2
202.4+171.8
Nyssa
sylvatica
Black gum
1
40.5
5
202.4
3.0+2.8
-
121.5+114.5
Pinus taeda
Loblolly
0
0.0
2
81.0
1.0+1.4
40.5+57.3
pine
-
-
Platanus
occidentalis
Sycamore
y
2
81.0
2
81.0
2.0+0.0
81.0+0.0
Quercus
alba
White oak
1
40.5
0
0.0
0.5+0.7
20.2+28.6
Quercus
Swamp
michauxii
chestnut
0
0.0
1
40.5
0.5+0.7
20.2+_28.6
oak
Quercus
Cherrybark
pagoda
oak
1
40.5
0
0.0
0.5+0.7
-
20.2+28.6
-
Quercus
velutina
Black oak
0
0.0
1
40.5
0.5+0.7
-
20.2+28.6
-
Taxodium
Bald
distichum
10
404.9
5
202.4
7.5+3.5
303.6+143.1
cypress
All Species Totals
20
809.7
25
1012.1
22.5+3.5
910.9+143.1

Table 3. Stem density for planted tree species in 100 m2 monitoring plots at La Grange Parcel.
Year 2015 Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC. September 2015.
Plot LAG -1
Plot LAG -2
Tract Averages
Common
Species
Number
Stems
Number
Stems
Num.
Stems per
Name
Stems
per acre
Stems
per acre
Stems
acre
Betula nigra
River birch
2
81.0
8
323.9
5.0+4.2
202.4+171.8
Nyssa
sylvatica
Black gum
1
40.5
5
202.4
3.0+2.8
-
121.5+114.5
Platanus
occidentalis
Sycamore
y
2
81.0
2
81.0
2.0+0.0
-
81.0+0.0
Quercus
alba
White oak
1
40.5
0
0.0
0.5+0.7
20.2+28.6
Quercus
Swamp
michauxii
chestnut
0
0.0
1
40.5
0.5+0.7
20.2+28.6
oak
Quercus
Cherrybark
pagoda
oak
1
40.5
0
0.0
0.5+0.7
-
20.2+28.6
-
Taxodium
Bald
distichum
10
404.9
5
202.4
7.5+3.5
-
303.6+143.1
-
cypress
Planted Species: Total
Stems and Stems Per
17
688.3
21
850.2
19.0+2.8
769.2+114.5
Acre

Table 4. Relative density of species in 100 m2 monitoring plots in La Grange Parcel. 2015
Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC. September 2015.
Table 5. Stem heights for naturally colonizing tree species in 100 m2 monitoring plots at
LaGrange Parcel. Year 2015, Third Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC.
September 2015.
Species
Common
Percent of
Percent of
Species
Common name
Total Stems
Planted Stems
Stem Heights (m)
Heights Among
by S ecies
by Species
Acer rubrum
Red maple
8.9
NA
Betula nigra
River birch
22.2
26.3
Nyssa sylvatica
Black gum
13.3
15.8
Pinus taeda
Loblolly pine
4.4
NA
Platanus
Sycamore
8.9
10.5
occidentalis
3.0+1.4
3.0+1.4
Platanus
Quercus alba
White oak
2.2
2.6
Quercus
Swamp chestnut
2.2
2.6
michauxii
oak
White oak
2.0+0.0
Quercus pagoda
Cherrybark oak
2.2
2.6
Quercus
Black oak
2.2
NA
velutina
-
-
Taxodium
Bald cypress
33.3
39.5
distichum
oak
3.0+0.0
-
Percent of
3.0+0.0
-
planted stems
84% of Stems are of Planted Species
to total stems
0.5+0.0
Table 5. Stem heights for naturally colonizing tree species in 100 m2 monitoring plots at
LaGrange Parcel. Year 2015, Third Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC.
September 2015.
Species
Common
Plot: LAG -1
Plot: LAG -2
Average Stem
Name
Stem Heights (m)
Stem Heights (m)
Heights Among
Plots (m)
Acer rubrum
Red maple
3.3+0.6
1.0+0.0
2.7+1.3
Betula nigra
River birch
4.0+1.4
3.8+2.6
3.9+2.9
Nyssa sylvatica
Black gum
1.5+0.0
1.7+1.0
1.7+0.9
Pinus taeda
Loblolly pine
NA
3.0+1.4
3.0+1.4
Platanus
Sycamore
5.5+0.7
5.0+0.0
3.9+2.3
occidentalis
-
-
-
Quercus alba
White oak
2.0+0.0
NA
2.0+0.0
Quercus michauxii
Swamp
NA
2.0+0.0
2.0+0.0
chestnut oak
-
-
Quercus pagoda
Cherrybark
oak
3.0+0.0
-
NA
3.0+0.0
-
Quercus velutina
Black oak
NA
0.5+0.0
0.5+0.0
Taxodium
Bald cypress
distichum
3.8+1.0
-
1.2+0.4
-
2.9+1.5
-
M

Table 6. Comparison of stem density per acre between the second (Year 2014) and third (Year
2015) growing seasons based on stem counts in 10 in by 10 in (0.0247 -acre). Negative number
represents a decline in stem density. Year 2015, Third Annual Report, Greene Environmental
Services. LLC. Sentember 2015.
Seedling Species
Common Name
Second Year (2014)
Monitoring, Tree
Stems Per Acre
Third Year (2015)
Monitoring, Tree
Stems Per Acre
Change in
Stem Density
Per Acre
Planted Stems
Betula nigra
River birch
121.5
202.4
81.0
Nyssa sylvatica
Black gum
81.0
121.5
40.5
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
101.2
81.0
-20.2
Quercus alba
White oak
20.2
20.2
Quercus michauxii
ak Swamp chestnut
20.2
20.2
0.0
Quercus pagoda
Cherrybark oak
20.2
20.2
0.0
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
263.2
303.6
40.5
Planted totals
607.3
769.2
161.9
Colonizing Stems
Acer rubrum Red maple 222.7 81.0
-141.7
Pinus taeda Loblolly pine 40.5 40.5
0.0
Quercus velutina Black oak 20.2
20.2
Colonizing totals 263.3 1 141.7
-121.5
Planted and Colonizing Stems
Combined Planted and Colonizing Species
Stem Totals
870.4
910.9
40.5
�I

(3E
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28530
Figure 1— Vicinity Map
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3.5 mi

C7EC Figure 2 — USGS Topographic Map
Greene Environmental Services. LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28530
N.T.S

GE
rvices. LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28530
Figure 3 —Aerial Map

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N 9804"3RwE 196.52°
— S b526`37 'N 38.42'
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37,939.717 sq. ft.
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Neuse Buffer Area
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*� by computer
HAM S70RAGE, LLC ew
D.B. 1597, Pg. 114 n I Lo
m1
P. 12, Pg. 99 o I
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Nutrient Offset Area
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N 7,542'31'E 174.73' 1
N 552.2'41'E 58.15'
'42"E 42.81" s c1a's�'1N 111.71"
N 7530'29"'?4 130.57'
N Fs93B'55`W 124.01'
N r6 10'03'1413.54"
N.T.S.
Neuse Buffer Area: 37,939.70 sq. ft. (0.87 acres)
® Nutrient Offset Area: 109,581.98 sq. ft. (2.52 acres)
(3E Figure 4 — Survey Excerpt
Greene Environmental Services. LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28530

GE
Greene Environmental Services. LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28530
Figure 5. Monitoring Plot Locations

CT
Greene Environmental Services. LLC
90 Ham Produce Rd.
Snow Hill. NC 28530
Monitoring Plot LAG -1
Monitoring Plot LAG -2
Figure 6. Monitoring Plot Photographs

Monitoring Plot Map: LAG -1
NE SE
10
9 11 10
8 12
7
6 7
E5 9 - 17
0 16
-
14
4
8
3 3 • 6 13
19
2 2 18
1 20
15 1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 m
NW SW
Seedling Number
Species
Common Name
Status in 2015
1
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
2
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
Live
3
Quercus pagoda
Cherrybark oak
Live
4
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
5
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
6
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
7
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
8
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
9
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
10
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
Live
11
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
12
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
13
Quercus alba
White oak
Live
14
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
15
Acer rubrum
Red maple
Live
16
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
17
Acer rubrum
Red maple
Live
18
Acer rubrum
Red maple
Live
19
Taxodium distichum
I Bald cypress
Live
20
Nyssa sylvatica
I Blackgum
Live
Figure 7. Monitoring plot map for plot LAG -1; 100 m2 monitoring plot at LaGrange Parcel. Year 2015
Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC
16

Monitoring Plot Map: LAG -2
NE
10 ,
9 6
5
8
7
6
E
0 5 •
4 •�
3 1 •
•
2 • 25
1 • A • 24
0 •
1F
0 1 2 3 4
0
SE
•
19
8 • 1S
13
20
•
10 •• 11
22
17
5 6 7 191 9 14 10
10 m
0
Seedling Number
Species
Common Name
Status in 2015
1
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
2
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
3
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
4
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
5
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
6
Quercus michauxii
Swamp chestnut oak
Live
7
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
Live
8
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
9
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
Live
10
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
11
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
12
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
Live
13
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
Live
14
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
Live
15
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
Live
16
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
Live
17
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
Live
18
Quercus velutina
Black oak
Live
19
Pinus taeda
Loblolly pine
Live
20
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum
Live
21
Pinus taeda
Loblolly pine
Live
22
Acer rubrum
Red maple
Live
23
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
24
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
25
Betula nigra
River birch
Live
Figure 8. Monitoring plot map for plot LAG -2; 100 m2 monitoring plot at LaGrange Parcel. Year 2015
Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services, LLC.
17