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Consolidated Coastal Stream and Wetland Restoration in the NJ Meadowlands in the Face of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Richard K. Mogensen, SPWS
Mogensen Mitigation, Inc.
Charlotte, NC
Over the last three and a half decades, the Meadowlands area in northeastern New Jersey, along both sides of the Hackensack River, have undergone substantial coastal wetland and tidal creek restoration efforts. The combination of at least 10 distinct, large stream and wetland restoration projects along this river have resulted in significant improvements regarding wildlife habitat, water quality and flooding. This began in the mid-1980’s, with the restoration along Saw Mill Creek for estuarine, wetland impacts associated with building the Vince Lombardi Rest Area on the Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike. This early mitigation was heavily criticized and even referred to as “Franken-Marsh” due to the unnatural shape of the tidal channels and upland islands that were created. Coastal restoration knowledge and strategies improved over the years as climate change threatens these tidal resources. Other significant projects included the Marsh Resources Meadowlands Mitigation Bank Phases I, II & III, Richard P. Kane Wetlands Mitigation Bank (former Empire Tract), Secaucus High School Site and the Kearny Marsh. I was the Project Manager for the Marsh Resources Mitigation Bank (Phase I & II) and the Kane Mitigation Bank projects. Through coordinated public and private mitigation and restoration the NJ Meadowlands is seeing measurable improvements in the tidal and estuarine areas along the Hackensack River. This talk will review much of the past restoration efforts and review some cursory and detailed data indicating real improvements in the face of climate change.
About Richard K. Mogensen, SPWS
Education: BS, Biology University of Connecticut 1977; BA, Geology University of Colorado Denver 1984. Certified Wetland Delineator, Baltimore District USACE. Senior Professional Wetland Scientist (SPWS) Society of Wetland Scientists. Licensed NC General Contractor. Former adjunct professor University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2013 – 2018). Currently owner and president of Mogensen Mitigation, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC.
• Worked at Greenhorn & O’Mara, Inc. in Denver, CO & Greenbelt, MD from 1987 to 1991. Designed and implemented some of the earliest compensatory wetland mitigation projects in Maryland and Virginia. While at G&O in MD, Rich became the ninth person to become a Certified Wetland Delineator, Baltimore District USACE.
• Relocated to Houston, TX and began work for Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation/Williams Cos. (Transco) where he established Marsh Resources, Inc., one of the first exclusive wetland mitigation banking companies in the US. While at Transco, Rich established the first mitigation bank in New Jersey (Bog Brook MB) in Middlesex County, NJ and two of the largest intertidal mitigation banks in the US called the Marsh Resources Meadowlands Mitigation Bank and the Richard P. Kane Wetland Mitigation Bank along the Hackensack River in Bergen County, NJ.
• During employment for Marsh Resources, Inc., in 1998 Mr. Mogensen was a founding member of the National Mitigation Banking Association (NMBA) which became the driving force behind developing the private mitigation banking industry.
• In 2000, Rich joined EarthMark Mitigation Services, LLC (EarthMark) and opened offices in North Carolina and West Virginia to develop mitigation banks, wetland restoration projects, stream mitigation projects and turn-key permittee responsible mitigation (PRM) projects.
• In the late 1990’s, while in NC, Rich was a founding member of the NC Environmental Restoration Association (NCERA). This state association represents the private restoration industry in NC.
• After leaving EarthMark in 2011, Rich started a new company, Mogensen Mitigation, Inc. (MMI), dedicated to improving the ecological restoration industry and providing the highest level of design and implementation. MMI provides a wide range of stream and wetland related services including stormwater projects as well as rain garden design and installation. MMI has offices in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC.
