Applied Ecological Services, Inc. Sustainable Solutions for Over 30 Years.

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1 Applied Ecological Services, Inc. Sustainable Solutions for Over 30 Years.

2 Landfills Can Mitigate and Restore Riparian Impacts on Their Property Jason Dremsa, Construction Manager Applied Ecological Services, Inc.

3 Overview Why should we use native plants Introduction: AES and myself Project Examples Conservation practices for Landfills Questions-Discussion

4 Revegetating Landfills and Waste Containment Areas Fact Sheet The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Why Use Native Plants? Native plants provide a beautiful, hardy, low maintenance, and drought resistant landscape Native plants can develop into a self-sustaining ecosystem, eliminating the need for fertilizers, pesticides, and water

5 Native Plants on Landfill Surfaces Although a variety of plant species can be used on a landfill surface, native plants are recommended when possible. A single non-indigenous species of grass has commonly been planted as a monoculture to control erosion of landfill surfaces, but the non-indigenous species is more vulnerable to disturbance.

6 The Selected, Self-Sustaining Ecosystem Planting native species that have been selected over thousands of years in that area are best adapted to disturbances and climate change (Waugh 1994). Species diversity helps reduce disease dispersal or blights and encourages wider biological diversity in the restored habitat, making it more like a natural ecosystem Reducing long-term operation and maintenance (O&M) and promoting a self-sustaining ecosystem (Handel et al 1994).

7 Replacing Gullies and Garbage with Tall Grasses and Flowers An abandoned Christian County landfill is turning into a prairie

8 Lessons We Have Learned 1. The landfill company, regulators, and host communities all benefit by good ecological designs and implementation follow-through. 2. Solid comprehensive ecological design/build approaches save regulatory costs, time, maintenance costs, and can lead to new partnerships with NGO s, agencies, schools and neighborhoods and bolster landfill company trust and broad appreciation. 3. Landfill Buffers don t take care of themselves. Most deteriorate ecologically, giving up goodwill and real ecological improvements. 4. Buffers and landfills can become important areas for creating wetland leachate biofitlers, offsetting carbon emissions through sequestration, and contributing to achieving other regional conservation goals.

9 Applied Ecological Services, Inc. Our Mission We create ecologically driven land-use solutions that are practical, economical and based on the best science and technology. Applied Ecological Services inspires and enables stewardship of land, water, soil and air. Our Vision Our vision and ethic is to bring the science of ecology to all land-use decisions.

10 AES Timeline

11 AES Services Consulting Contracting Nursery

12 Jason Dremsa, B.S. Kansas City Contracting Branch Manager, Restoration Ecologist Professional Information S ICS-100 Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior, Firefighter Training Developing Management Skills University of Wisconsin Affiliations Grasslands Heritage Foundation Grow Native! K.C. Wildlands Executive Committee KAWS Education B.S. in Reclamation, Environment & Conservation, Minor in Environmental Science with Biological Emphasis, 2001 University of Wisconsin Platteville Qualifications and Team Assignment Over nine years of professional experience in ecological restoration and management, including projects to restore streams, shorelines, wetlands, woodlands, prairies and oak savannas. Also well-versed in erosion control practices, native seed collection, prescribed fire and native landscaping vegetation identification. In the Kansas City area, Dremsa is the primary field manager and client contact for the Zona Rosa mixed-use development and Rush Creek restoration project. He has also coordinated the construction processes for the Enchanted Lake Shoreline Stabilization, Johnson County Transit Center Native Landscaping, and Highlandview Bioretention Gardens.

13 Design Collaboration Ecological Assessment Engineering Expert Witness Consulting

14 AES Consulting Services Design Research Regulatory Ecological Restoration Design, Planning and Management Ecological Research, Assessment, Inventory, Analysis and Monitoring Mine, Quarry and Landfill/ Brownfield Remediation Planning Site and Regional Master Planning Environmental and Water Resources Engineer Ecological Landscape Architecture GIS Services and Mapping Regulatory Permitting Public Process and Visioning Comprehensive Wetland Services Wildlife Studies and Management Threatened and Endangered Species Studies Streambank and Shoreline Stabilization Stormwater Management Design Sustainable Development Services Environmental Legal Discovery and Mediation

15 Nursery Seed Plants Trees and Shrubs Custom Seed Cleaning Contract Growing Genetic Radius Species

16 AES Restoration Nurseries Seed & Plants Research Expertise Native plants and seed Native trees and shrubs Modular/native green roofs Specific genetic provision Propagation of locally sourced seed and plants Custom grow Contract grow Experimental propagation Nursery consulting Plant rescues Nursery design/build

17 Kaw River Restoration Nursery Our Kansas branch of the restoration nurseries Established initially in 2005 to provide local genotype plant material for a large restoration project and are still here due to the markets need for natives

18 Contracting Design Build Bid -Build Bioengineering Eco - Construction Seeding Planting Erosion Control Woodland Brushing Ecological Management Value-Added Engineering Maintenance * To date, AES Contracting has worked on projects in Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and internationally.

19 AES Contracting Services Construction Management Maintenance Comprehensive Design-Build Services Construction Management Restoration and Phytoremediation Planting Shoreline, Streambank and Slope Stabilization Native Nursery Construction Native Landscape Installation Prescribed Burning Prescribed Herbicide Application

20 Planting Prairie Wetland Woodland Herbaceous Trees Shrubs Formal Unique ecosystems Chicago Botanic Gardens; Chicago, IL

21 Seeding Prairie Wetland Woodland Formal Unique Ecosystems Wild Meadows; Edina, MN

22 Ravine Wetland Mitigation Stormwater Treatment Bioengineering Shoreline Stream/River Wing Dams J-Hooks Cross Veins Log Veins Gabions Riffle Ponds Biologs/Coir Crib Walls Soils Lifts Waterbars Brush Fascines Brush Wattles Live Stakes RootWad Revetments Construction

23 Maintenance Prescribed Burning Selective Herbiciding Mowing Woodland Restoration Brushing Non native Species Removal

24 Project Examples Zona Rosa Mixed-Use Development Seneca Meadows Landfill

25 Project Goals: Zona Rosa - Rush Creek Restoration North Kansas City, Missouri Stabilize the degraded Rush Creek and its tributaries. Improve stream water quality and detain additional runoff from Zona Rosa Development. Restore riparian and wetland habitat with native vegetation. Implement maintenance and monitoring program.