Riparian Buffer Establishment In Urban Watersheds
Chris Tinklenberg, PWS
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Jacey Meador
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services
City of Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Authors:
Jacey Meador – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services
Chris Tinklenberg - Kimley- Horn and Associates, Inc.
When thinking about restoration sites, most engineers and restoration professionals envision precisely graded, natural design channels with engineered in-channel structures such as rock plunge pools and J-hooks, plus a multitude of bank stabilization measures like root wads, rock toe protection, and soil lifts. The riparian buffer areas planted as part of restoration projects are equally important, especially in urban areas. This vegetation not only stabilizes the installed site grading and structures, but provides habitat and ecological uplift to the site while transitioning the restored riparian buffer into the surrounding landscape. This presentation seeks to provide a brief introduction into the details of restoration vegetation selection including successes and failures of particular species, as well as maintenance on urban restoration sites. The presentation will also provide general guidance about the vegetation on restored sites, including guidance on typical vegetation communities, restoration planting design, planting best practices, and vegetation maintenance. We will discuss the different vegetation communities typically encountered in urban restoration sites, the selection of woody vegetation for these communities, and the selection of seed mixes and herbaceous vegetation. Additionally, we will demonstrate some standard best practices for the installation of restoration vegetation. Finally, we will discuss the considerations for the maintenance of site vegetation, including an in-depth discussion of one of the most important aspects of site urban restoration site maintenance: invasive vegetation control.
About Chris Tinklenberg, PWS
Chris is a Professional Wetland Scientist and Project Manager at Kimley-Horn with over 16 years of experience conducting natural resource investigations, wetland/stream delineation, natural community, and habitat assessment, functional assessments, Clean Water Act Section 404/401 permitting, T&E species habitat assessment and surveys, and ecosystem enhancement/restoration mitigation monitoring. He provides support throughout all phases of ecosystem enhancement/restoration projects and specializes in as-built mitigation monitoring services and post-construction mitigation monitoring. Chris is proud to have partnered with Mecklenburg County (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services) in assisting them to secure their first-ever full mitigation credit release for a County project (Torrence Creek and Torrence Creek Tributary #2 Stream Restoration Project).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-tinklenberg-pws-4181aa98/
About Jacey Meador
Jacey Meador holds a Master of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Science in Geology. She is currently a water quality program specialist with the City of Charlotte. Jacey helps manage the City of Charlotte’s Umbrella Mitigation Bank and assists in the management of active stream and wetland restoration projects. She works hard to coordinate with other City and County departments, consultants, and an Interagency Review Team to help ensure all projects are achieving ecological uplift and positively impacting water quality. Jacey also has experience in stream geomorphology, sedimentology, optical mineralogy, technical document review, SCM inspections, and wastewater operations. Working in an urban environment has it’s challenges, but the reward is great knowing the City that Jacey lives and works in is committed to uplifting the environment for a better future. She is proud and honored to serve her City and the citizens that live in it. Jacey lives in Charlotte with her husband Noah and two cats (Sega and Marble). She is a proud cat mom! Any chance her and her husband get to travel they do! Some of their favorite places they’ve traveled to include Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Colorado, and Utah. Jacey spends her free time creating fiber art for her side business “Knotting By Nature” (@knottingbynature). She also enjoys walking, hiking, baking, spending time outside, collecting rocks, and being involved in her community and church family.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacey-meador-22237747/
