Mitigation Banks

Old Thorn Pond Mitigation Bank
Bulloch County, Georgia

The Old Thorn Pond Mitigation Bank is a 450-acre property in Bulloch County, Georgia that has been authorized through the issuance of a US Army Corps of Engineers permit to operate as a commercial wetlands mitigation bank. The purpose of the Bank is to provide compensatory mitigation for projects or permit applicants where on-site mitigation is not available, adequate, feasible or practicable.

The Old Thorn Pond Mitigation Bank is available to provide compensatory mitigation, on a fee basis, for impacts to isolated or above the headwaters wetlands, within the identified service area (Service Area Map), which require authorization from the US Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, the mitigation bank is available to mitigate for authorized impacts associated with linear projects (i.e.: roadway and utility construction) on a case-by-case basis.

The mitigation bank is not intended to bypass the normal sequencing requirements of the Section 404 permit review process (i.e.: avoidance, minimization, compensation). Mitigation credits from the Bank can only be utilized for projects or activities that have been properly authorized in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

The ratio of mitigation credits in the Bank required to adequately compensate for wetland impacts will be determined on a site and/or project specific basis in accordance with the Savannah District Corps of Engineers Standard Operating Procedure for Compensatory Mitigation Plans.

Historically, the 450-acre Old Thorn Pond was a cypress dominated Carolina Bay wetland area. Based on historical aerial photography, attempts were made to drain the site as early as 1949. Over time various owners successfully harvested the mature hardwood timber in the bay and completed site preparation activities to plant pines throughout the majority of the site. Prior to the restoration activities, the site was intensively managed for pine production.

In 1998, the USACE and other members of the MBRT approved Old Thorn Pond as a Commercial Mitigation Bank. Since this time the owner has successfully accomplished full restoration of this unique habitat which includes:

• Restoration of Hydrology - Natural hydrologic regimes has been restored to the entire 450 acres.
  
  
• Restoration of Indigenous Vegetation - Areas of the Carolina Bay that were previously impacted by silviculture activities have been restored to the vegetative community indigenous to this unique wetland system.
  
  
• Preservation - The entire 450 acre site has been preserved in perpetuity. The proposed work has restored original functions and values to a cypress dominated Carolina Bay.

Additional information and/or assistance in calculating the number of credits needed for mitigation or purchasing credits from Old Thorn Pond Mitigation Bank can be obtained by contacting:

Old Thorn Pond, LLC
c/o Newkirk Environmental, Inc.
P.O. Box 746
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465

843/388-6585
FAX 843/388-6580