When restoring the buffer zone here at Tobit’s Trace, a big challenge was to effectively manage the runoff from the parking lot. Many years of uncontrolled runoff had led to erosion. Unfortunately, the cost of replacing the paved area with a permeable surface was beyond the budget. Slowing the flow of water from the parking lot into the stream was the best we could do. How is this accomplished?

Placing physical barriers like logs and stones can slow down the flow of water. We see this happen naturally as trees die and large limbs break off in windstorms. The fallen trees provide hurdles for the water to flow over or around. We helped Mother Nature along by placing physical barriers along the slope.

Healthy soil is more effective at absorbing water than poor soil. In a healthy ecosystem, a variety of plants sink their roots deep into the soil. Earthworms, ants, and other insects till the soil, adding pockets of air. Plant material is routinely dying off and rotting, providing nutrients for new plants to grow. Bird and animal droppings add more nutrients to the soil. The soil in the buffer zone was not as bad as it could have been. In time, it will improve naturally as the ecosystem is restored. Again, we wanted to give Mother Nature a boost by adding material to improve the soil.