Biologists revert farmland to wetland to sell credits
MONROE (AP) — As Canada geese bank westward above the green and blue expanse of Muddy Creek Wetland, wood ducks, mallards, pintails and northern shovelers paddle on the shallow ponds below.
The 108 acres near Monroe used to be a rye grass farm and was a cattle ranch before that.
Now low soil berms hold rainwater in ponds and indigenous prairie grasses poke up through the mud.
It’s the work of two wildlife biologists, Chris Kiilsgaard and Jeff Reams who have pooled their money and experience to return this patch of Willamette Valley to its former function.
They’re avid environmentalists, but hope to make some money as well.
If done right, it could pay off in millions of dollars. Muddy Creek is part of Oregon’s growing bank of mitigation banks, wetlands that developers and land managers can buy into when they can’t avoid damaging wetlands themselves… [more]