Carry out a wetlands survey
A survey should identify plants and soils in wetlands areas.
Wetlands are among our most valuable and ecologically important ecosystems. They are critical in supporting wildlife and maintaining an area's biodiversity. A survey should be conducted by a landscape architect, civil engineer, soils technician, biologist, or someone else with an extensive knowledge of wetlands. The survey should include a map of surface water, soils and plants.
Green Points
LEEDLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes is the residential green building program from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). While this program is primarily designed for and applicable to new home projects, major gut rehabs can qualify. -H: Two points for avoiding development of land in the 100-year floodplain, land identified as habitat for any threatened species or land within 100 feet of any water, including wetland.
NGBSNational Green Building Standard Based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to both new homes, remodeling projects, and additions. /ICC-700: Three points for avoiding environmentally sensitive areas; 3 points for restoring or mitigating environmentally sensitive areas that have been compromised (503.8); 5 points for completing a natural resources inventory; 6 points for implementing a plan to conserve high priority resources (503.1).
Learn more in the Green Building Encyclopedia:
