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Protecting Local Wetlands

Steve Ivas, an environmental consultant, helped guide the homeowners through the process of securing permits for the house expansion. Neighboring Black Pond Bog is an endangered ecosystem owned by the Nature Conservancy. The boardwalk and paths are maintained by the Massachusetts Audubon Society. The pond was formed about 10,000 years ago by a melting glacier. The bog is lined with a fibrous mass at the bottom, which runs 20 feet deep in some sections. This bog is called a "quaking bog" because the surrounding plants and trees are growing on a sort of "life raft" on top of the water. Across the driveway from the job site is a vest-pocket wetland that is protected by the town. Small wetlands like these are protected because they provide filtering of storm water and a habitat for wildlife. The headwaters for the interconnected wetland system are at the job site and run along the roadway. The wetland is not landscaped and remains in its pristine condition. To protect it, an erosion-control system was put in place using staked hay bales with a silt fence behind them. This makeshift fence protects the wetland from any erosion or runoff from the job site. These small patches of wetland may seem like insignificant unlandscaped areas but they are very important for the town's ecological health.

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Building with ReddiForm ICFs Now Playing

Building with ReddiForm ICFs

Preparing Insulated Moisture Barrier and Forms for Foundation Pour Now Playing

Preparing Insulated Moisture Barrier and Forms for Foundation Pour

Protecting Local Wetlands Now Playing

Protecting Local Wetlands

Expanding a Home to Create an In-Law Suite Now Playing

Expanding a Home to Create an In-Law Suite

Pouring the Concrete Foundation Now Playing

Pouring the Concrete Foundation

Using Insulated Polystyrene Forms for Foundation Footings Now Playing

Using Insulated Polystyrene Forms for Foundation Footings

Clip Transcript For:

Protecting Local Wetlands

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" We -- here and globally endangered ecosystem. Behind me is black pond bog. Part of the black pawn to nature preserve which is owned by the nature conservancy. And the boardwalk we're standing on and these paths are managed by messages Audubon society. This blog. Pond was formed by. A ice block after the Wisconsin -- about 10000 years ago. And what happened was the ice block melted left the pond. And then this that no moss here. Grew out over the pond and into the pond died and provided the substrate for all these herbaceous species here. And in fact this this particular -- I'm down to the fibrous mat right about here a couple of feet down but this. Fibrous mat is very thick it said to be about twenty feet plus in this area. It's also called a quaking bog. Because. The shrubs like this. Summer sweet are. A sweep of the bush and then the trees here. -- Atlantic white cedar is a growing on a sort of life raft on top of the water. Across the driveway from the job site is this vest pockets. Wetland it's an isolated -- wetland. About fifty feet wide it's -- great. Herbaceous slayer which is the ferns the rushes -- discuss some great shrubs has got some mature trees as it over story above. To provide great shade. Other tower that protects these small wetlands. It which provide lots of filtering for the storm want to coming off the street. Also provides great wildlife habitat and cover and nesting and food for wildlife. Here on the job site we're at the Headwaters of this little interconnected system along the roadway. There's a -- vest pocket wetland here. It connects to the other wetland that we just saw via PVC pipe under the roadway and and it provides very very good habitat. Hands filtering for the storm want to coming off the streets notice it's not landscapes. And it's in its pristine condition. Now to protect this vest pocket wetland. We took and we designed erosion control system here which is composed of staked hay bails doubly staked with a silt fence behind -- dug in about four or four inches. And that prevents any -- erosion. Segmentation or runoff coming from my job sites here. These systems may seem like small insignificant -- landscaped areas but they're very very important for the town's ecological health."

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