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The Ohio Wetlands
Foundation, a non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization, was formed in 1992 in
response to the regulated community's need to have a high quality offsite
wetlands mitigation alternative. The mission of the Ohio Wetlands
Foundation is to provide the highest quality offsite wetlands mitigation
alternatives in Ohio by means of restoring, enhancing and protecting
wetlands. The funds received by the Foundation for mitigation
purposes are used for the acquisition of property; for the design,
construction and maintenance of wetlands; for the construction of trails
and interpretive signage at its sites; financial assistance for long term
stewardship of the mitigation sites; for the education of the public
regarding wetlands functions; and the funding of research on wetlands.
The Foundation's
development of compensatory wetland mitigation credits follows the April 10, 2008 Federal Law for
Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources. Any entity
wishing to use off-site compensatory mitigation must follow the rules and
laws governing wetland impacts and must obtain a permit from the Army Corp
of Engineers and/or the Ohio EPA.
The Ohio Wetlands
Foundation was the first banker in the country to construct a wetlands
mitigation bank and to complete the required five year monitoring
period. The Ohio Wetlands Foundation has sold all of its credits in
its first five banks representing nearly 700 acres of wetland restoration
at five different locations: Hebron, Big Island, Sandy Ridge, Three
Eagles, and Slate Run.
Credits are currently
available at THREE different wetlands mitigation banks: Little Scioto,
Trumbull Creek, and Pearson Metro Park.
In addition to
mitigation banks, the Foundation also has three active consolidated
wetlands mitigation projects located in the Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Huntington
Army Corps of Engineers Districts. The Foundation also works with
clients throughout Ohio to identify suitable off site mitigation
alternatives for wetlands and stream impacts that occur where a mitigation
bank is not available or its use is inappropriate.
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