Laurel Valley Soils

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Restoring Higbee Beach: 750 Yards of STA Certified Premium Compost Rejuvenates NJ Wetlands

Liana Ockenhouse

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Restoring Higbee Beach: 750 Yards of STA Certified Premium Compost Rejuvenates NJ Wetlands

     This ambitious project, led by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, seeks to reverse over a century of ecological disruption and rejuvenate the region’s wetlands and upland maritime habitats. Restoring Higbee Beach will enrich the habitat for migratory birds, fish and various threatened and endangered (T&E) species. It will also enhance public access.

“We’re using the compost and sand material in this dune area to build a maritime forest for plants, shrubs, blueberries, and barberry to restore this area to a tidal marsh habitat. We are creating new islands where high marsh type shrubbery will be planted. Your compost will provide the growing conditions these plants thrive in.”

– Marc Zitter, Project Manager, AP Construction

Compost/Sand mixture used for the Higbee Beach revival project.
Compost/Sand mixture used for the Higbee Beach revival project.

Why Higbee Beach Needed Ecological Help

     Higbee Beach of Cape May, NJ was in dire need of help after being degraded by a magnesium extraction plant previously located on the edge of Pine Creek and the Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The saltwater estuary leads to the Delaware Bay and is one of the largest southern areas to host bird migrations. Millions of birds stop there to seek food, cover, and water before continuing their journey.

     When AP Construction arrived on site, Pine Creek was essentially dammed off and no longer tidal, it became a co-mingled estuary. In fact, it was no longer considered saltwater as evidenced by the phragmites that had overtaken the area. The freshwater runoff encroached into the salt marsh with nowhere for the freshwater to escape, and there was no way for the saltwater to enter.

     The main project goal is to re-establish tidal inundation, without increasing flood risk, while creating habitat management areas for diverse species.  

Restoring Higbee Beach. Plans and blueprint.
Map of Higbee Beach and the surrounding wetlands

Engineering a Tidal Marsh

     AP Construction began construction in February 2024 with the initial site work. AP Construction was a perfect choice for this project, as they had just completed a wetlands restoration project at FDR Park in Philadelphia, just days before this project was awarded.

     The first main task of the project was to build roughly two miles of berms to separate saltwater from freshwater. Pine Creek was then excavated, removing 75,170 cubic yards of material for reuse elsewhere on the project site.

     New tributaries were dug to control the paths of the water. With the berms in place and the addition of stop logs, the marsh elevation can be controlled. For example, when the tide drops to elevation one, it’ll allow the freshwater to run out of the tributaries and into the bay. Then when the when the tide changes, the saltwater comes back in, but it won’t be able to crest the stop log, keeping it in place in the marsh. 

A berm separating the freshwater from the saltwater.
A berm separating the freshwater from the saltwater.

Looking Ahead

     When the Higbee Beach restoration project concludes at the end of 2026, multiple wildlife viewing structures will be available along an enhanced trail system to provide visitors with an array of visual opportunities. The wildlife viewing structures include a bunker blind, a heron canopy viewing platform, two boardwalk systems with platforms, and several 360º bird blind structures.

Aerial View of fields next to Delaware Bay coast where the Higbee Beach revival project will take place.

For more information, you can view quarterly updates on the project here:  https://dep.nj.gov/nrr/restoration/active-restoration-projects/higbee-beach/

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How Laurel Valley Soils Helped Provide Horticultural Compost, Interior Soils, and Bioretention Soils for Longwood Gardens’ Reimagined Project

At Laurel Valley Soils, we know amazing landscapes have to start somewhere, and that is from the ground up.

But few projects embody this more than our recent collaboration with Longwood Gardens on their landmark Reimagined Project. This was no ordinary undertaking; it was a generational investment in one of the world’s most iconic botanical gardens. And we were given a foundational role in helping shape the future of a place that’s both a local treasure and a global destination. 

This isn’t just about soil. It is about three unique soil solutions designed to support three vastly different goals. It is about how modern horticulture demands a level of precision, testing, and craftsmanship that elevates soil blending into both art and science. 

The Allée: Blending the Old with the New

One of the earliest phases of the project involved a new allée; a stately tree lined boulevard that bridges the historic East Conservatory with the new West Conservatory. The soil under this allée was not trucked in from afar. Instead, it was reborn right on site. 

With Bancroft Construction as the General Contractor, we worked closely with B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc., who produced an amended soil blended to Longwood Gardens stringent specifications. 

Using soil salvaged onsite, imported coarse sand and our very own Horticultural Compost, Kreider and Laurel Valley worked together, creating several test blends until the soil mixture was dialed in. Using loaders equipped with bucket scales to measure each component down to the pound, Kreider produced a consistent, high-performance amended soil. Blending on site using reclaimed soils is a notable example of how to limit a project’s carbon footprint.

The West Conservatory

At our production facility in Landenberg, PA, we manage a rigorous process of prototyping, sampling, and testing. First, we tested all the individual components that in combination make up the Interior Soil. Then it took several rounds of blending and testing the mixture of these components until the mix was perfected to meet the specification.

Creating soil for a world-class conservatory is no small task to say the least! While we were ecstatic to be selected to provide the Interior Soil, we definitely felt the weight of that responsibility. The soil, as it was designed by Longwood’s Landscape Architect, needed to be blended perfectly with no margin of error.  

The soil was designed to maintain its structural integrity over time and provide a long list of critical functions including providing porosity, moisture balance, infiltration, and nutritional needs. As the soil was installed in layers, many other features were built into the soil like irrigation and fertility delivery systems, air delivery systems, and sensors for temperature, moisture, and oxygen. This way Longwood would have the ability to manage each unique planting area, of which there were many, with individualized care based on its specific plant group requirements.

The result? A highly specialized indoor growing medium, ready to bring forth Longwood’s newest generation of living displays.

“It is humbling to be part of this iconic, once-in-a-lifetime project—a local treasure our community is proud to share with the world,” says Jake Chalfin, Laurel Valley Soils, Sales Manager. 

The Bioretention Basins: Smart Soil for Stormwater Sustainability

Alongside the beauty of the expansion came a critical infrastructure need: stormwater management. For that, Longwood utilized the modern green infrastructure feature called a bioretention basin. These living basins are designed to collect, filter, and absorb stormwater from the increased impervious surfaces created by the West Conservatory and surrounding hardscape. 

We supplied a bioretention soil mix tailored to meet both functional performance and regulatory compliance—providing the right balance of infiltration, filtration, and plant support. It’s not just a basin—it is a working ecosystem, and the soil is key to making it thrive. 

Stay tuned for our upcoming “Jake from the Basin” content series, where we dive deeper into the purpose and performance of this system.

A New Era for Soil Craftsmanship

The three different soil designs implemented on this project highlight the significant role that engineered soils now play in our landscapes. Soils are tasked with not only providing robust planting environments but are also required to play critical roles in managing and preventing the damaging effects from severe storm events that are becoming much more commonplace. Soils have been redefined beyond traditional horticulture and are now considered to be a critical pillar of green infrastructure.  

And for us? That is exactly where we thrive. 

From the classic allée’s to modern conservatories to sustainable stormwater infrastructure, our soils are the quiet foundation for the extraordinary—the next chapter of Longwood Gardens now Truly Reimagined!

Want to learn more about how we blend and test our soil for signature projects like Longwood Reimagined?

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© 2022 Laurel Valley Soils. A subsidiary of Laurel Valley Farms, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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