Comments on: Seeing the Forest for the Trees (They’re just trees)

By: Professor

Professor — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:45:16 +0000

The hillock has a unique and significant role in recharging our coastal plain aquifers. Also, converting this extremely gravelly and porous soil to impervious surface will have a large negative effect on storm water management.

Most importantly, it is discouraging for those of us who teach about the environment to lose this valuable resource to teach about the science behind these issues.

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By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:34:57 +0000

David, I see both sides of the argument here, but without you qualifying your statement further, I do disagree with what you say about “proximity isnt an indicator of importance to water quality.” Focusing and concentrating development in the downstream section of a watershed does make the most sense in terms of preserving water quality including concentrating impervious space in a watershed to the 10% that has been shown to start degredation (if that is at all possible in an urbanized area like this). However, proximity to a water body also does indeed impact the water quality, hence, as a start, the importance of forested buffers. Development next to streams results in everything from temperature impacts to a faster route for pollutant discharge directly to the water body. Also of significance is increased volume of flow causing erosion and bringing with it additional pollutants. Additionally, as a scientist working in the area of stormwater quality for many years, and even with the tightening of the stormwater regs in maryland, I still am not entirely comforted by the argument that UMD is planning the requisite sw management for the site. If this project proceeds sw bmps will require maintenance and upkeep to assure failure doesnt occur down the road.

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By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:34:58 +0000

Thank you for this entry. I’ve always found it a bit odd that the forest was just getting scrapped, but I figured that’s just the way things go when forests are swallowed by huge-rich developers.

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By: David Daddio

David Daddio — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:54:06 +0000

Alexander, true that this property is directly uphill from Campus Creek. A lot of property is directly uphill from creeks and all land is in some sort of watershed. Proximity isn’t an indicator of importance to water quality… location of headwaters is. A road divided the Hillock from campus creek. Also, I’m assuming UMD is planning the requisite storm water management on the site.

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By: David Daddio

David Daddio — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:47:20 +0000

I’d be happy to see these facilities located on an existing parking right on campus (not some distant UMD property across town like the Golob property). Unfortunately these building will be rather unsightly… thus the decision to tuck them behind comcast center in a place most people didn’t even know existed before this controversy. Doubt we’ll be seeing the mail facility, pest control shacks, and elevator repair headquarters in lot 1 or 9 anytime soon…. Fortunately the campus master plan envisions using nearly all surface campus parking lots to absorb UMD’s expansion in the coming years.

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