Ducks Unlimited’s first mitigation bank in South Dakota is complete and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved a large mitigation credit release.
DU restored 11 drained wetlands and 145 acres of grassland to build the Sanborn County Mitigation Bank (SCMB). Currently, 65 mitigation credits are available for purchase to offset current or future wetland impacts in the Lower James River watershed. With credits from SCMB now available, permitting requirements for development projects impacting wetlands can be streamlined.
DU’s team of biologists, engineers, construction managers and contractors restored wetland hydrology and reseeded grassland to native species on the Sanborn County property. In October 2019, DU biologists observed 40 acres of standing water, significant regeneration of beneficial plant species and no erosion problems despite record rainfall that year.
The SCMB is part of a larger, 525-acre, DU-owned property, 20 miles north of Mitchell, S.D. Ducks Unlimited paired the mitigation bank restorations with conservation projects on the rest of the property that restored 28 drained wetlands and 80 acres of grassland. The project provides ecological benefits to surrounding communities, a valuable service for industry to offset wetland impacts and increase waterfowl nesting habitat.
Visit the DU mitigation webpage for more information on DU wetland mitigation. For credit purchase inquiries visit contact Justin Williams.
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