Great Miami Mitigation Bank

The Great Miami Mitigation Bank (GMMB), Southwest Ohio's first, and only approved, wetland and stream mitigation bank, provides a flexible means to mitigate the loss of wetlands to development. Under this model, developers have the option to restore an existing wetland, construct a new one, or buy credits from an organization like Five Rivers Metroparks. The GMMB was also the first stream mitigation bank in Ohio to provide 1:1 stream restoration credit.

For the GMMB, our team created a county-wide geodatabase using a geographic information system to stratify and evaluate up to 35 sites, producing a ranking matrix and field assessment protocol to critique qualifying sites. Following final site selection, we identified the best site for a 360-acre park with significant wetland and stream mitigation banking opportunities. Following acquisition of the site by Five Rivers Metroparks, we were retained to provide all site design and permitting approvals, as well as construction oversight and administrative services. 

Following construction of Phase 1 of the mitigation bank, we’ve since provided all required ecological monitoring and mitigation services for the project, including as-built surveys and ten consecutive years of mitigation monitoring using the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Vegetation Index of Biotic Integrity survey protocol. The client continues to rely on us for monitoring and maintenance of the site.