PRE-CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Gordon Peabody, Safe Harbor Environmental Services, August, 2014
Edited by Jamie Fitzgerald, Tulane University, Coastal Resiliency Intern
Saving money is a good way to start a project. In areas scheduled for
excavation, some of the natural resources you have on your site may be
valuable commodities: native vegetation, topsoil and sand are reusable
local resources that can be reused. This booklet considers some
innovative strategies that can save resources and money.
The Cape coastline is comprised of three vertical layers – vegetation,
topsoil, and sand.
Most construction
projects require the removal
of some or all of these
layers, which can be a costly
endeavor. At Safe Harbor,
we actively work with the
natural habitat of a project
site to preserve as much of
that habitat as possible
while also working to
drastically cut costs for the
property owner.
We see these layers as natural resources, with social, financial,
and ecological value. Our concept of preconstruction conservation of
these resources works with each layer individually, focusing on
recycling, reusing, and renourishing with whatever is
removed from a site.
Vegetation is the most
expensive layer to replace
after construction, however
it is financially and
ecologically beneficial to
preserve the vegetation that
we remove in order to reuse it again at the end of the
project. Once removed,
vegetation from a site can
be replanted for continued growth and nutrient value.
If it is
replanted on
the original
site, it
continues to
grow in its
ecological
niche. If the
final result of the project doesn't require re-vegetation, then the
preserved vegetation can be sold for reuse at a different site. Both
options save the property owners money, and help conserve our natural
resources. When removed and stored property, vegetation and topsoil
together are completely survivable and reusable.
The topsoil layer on Cape Cod is extraordinarily thin and fragile,
making protection and caution a priority at any construction site.
Topsoil is a critical part of a habitat, housing microorganisms and
micro-invertebrates, with biological and chemical elements that are
essential to sustaining the site-specific
environmental balances, such as pH
levels.
For example, this photo depicts a
segment of bearberry. This is one of the
most difficult local vegetation to grow,
with a highly intricate root system that
is dependent on successfully established
topsoil. However, if it is removed and
replanted with the topsoil, it can
continue to grow strong and healthy in a
new area, providing nutrients to the
habitat and also creating an ideal niche
for many native organisms.
Reusing native topsoil is a
sustainable aspect to any project, and is
both fiscally and ecologically
responsible. Recycling the resources we
already have not only saves time and
money, but it has the added insurance
benefit of healthy, native components at
the molecular, chemical, biological and
granular level that can’t be imported from other areas.
Again, removal of these layers
can be a big endeavor.
However, relocating large
amounts of sand is an easy and
very accessible solution to help
cut costs of construction.
Sand use for re-nourishment at
nearby locations is highly
compatible, which is shown
here through the matching
angles of repose between
the original dune and the
deposited sand. The
matching particle and grain
size across Cape Cod allow
for successful reuse at most
coastal locations, which
means the property owner
or contractor can sell or
deposit sand virtually down
the block from the
construction site, no matter
where the project is located.
While some of these
practices aren’t feasible for
every site on the Cape, these
principles nevertheless
illustrate a sustainable way
of thinking about and managing our resources. Safe Harbor is
committed to working with property owners, contractors, and town
commissions to find the most beneficial solutions with the best
environmental impacts and lowest financial costs.
You are free to share, copy, distribute and transmit Safe Harbor
Environmental Educational Publications under the following conditions:
1.Attribution-You must attribute the work but not in any way that
suggests that Safe Harbor endorses you or your use of the work .
2.Noncommercial-You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
3.No Derivative Works-You may not alter, transform, or build upon
this work. Nadia Bricault, Safe Harbor Education Coordinator, 2014.
Safe Harbor Environmental Educational Publications are self
funded. If you would like to explore supporting our Environmental
Education Program, our mailing address is Safe Harbor, Post Office
Box 880, Wellfleet, MA 02667 Or contact nadiasafeharbor@yahoo.com