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

Home/US Compositng Council

US Compositng Council

June 5, 2025 by Liana Ockenhouse

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/

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Cape May, laurel valley soils, premium compost, STA Certified compost, US Compositng Council

April 22, 2019 by rbracey

International Compost Awareness Week: a Perfect Time to Support Your Soil & PHS: City Harvest, too!

Compost provides soil with organic matter, nutrients and biology to grow healthy, nutritious food!  Have some fun while checking how much biology is present in your garden soil by “planting” a pair of 100% cotton undies.  Leave the waistband showing, and in 8 weeks try to pull them up out of your soil!  If you get just the waistband, you have lots of hungry, beneficial microbes!  More about #SoilYourUndies here….

International Compost Awareness Week is May 4-12, 2019  Once again, we will have our Premium Compost available at events all over the Delaware Valley to promote compost use, and will donate to PHS: City Harvest for every  purchase!

BYOB:  Bring Your Own Buckets or Bags and fill ’em up with compost for $5.

We will be at the Rittenhouse Flower Market, May 4 & 5 and

New Garden Growers Market, May 4 &11

Garden Flowers, Plants and Tools on a Sunny Background. Spring Gardening Works Concept

Need more than a few buckets?  Visit a participating Garden Center who will donate $3 per yard of compost purchased, and Laurel Valley Soils will MATCH that for a total of $6 per yard donated to PHS: City Harvest!

Achin Back Garden Center, Pottstown PA
Behmerwald Nursery, Schwenksville PA
Copeland’s, Stanton, DE
Delaware Hardscape, Wilmington, DE
Haines Farm and Garden, Cinnaminson NJ
Primex Garden Center, Glenside PA
Pughtown Agway, Spring City, PA
West Chester Agway, West Chester PA  

Have questions?  Call us at 610-268-5555 or email Suzanne@LaurelValleySoils.com

Filed Under: Garden Centers, Soil, Uncategorized Tagged With: Achin Back, compost, ICAW, international compost awareness week, laurel valley soils, mushroom compost, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, premium compost, STA Certified compost, US Compositng Council

February 20, 2018 by rbracey

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM

Scott Jenkins is the General Manager of the newly-designed Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Falcons.  Scott had a vision to be #1, and was determined to make that happen when the facility opened in August of 2017.  And Scott got his wish, although maybe not in the way you might expect, as the Falcons fell to the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC Division win that year.

But in the green building world, the Falcons’ home field is on the record books.  Mercedes Benz Stadium is the 1st professional sports stadium to achieve LEED Platinum Certification, which is a Super Bowl-esque sized win for Jenkins and his team of architects, planners, builders and installers.

One of the reasons MB Stadium was able to achieve this prestigious status was its incorporation of compost as part of its landscape and stormwater design plans.  150 tractor trailer loads of compost-enriched engineered soil was amended into native soil on site and  installed in bioswales and other water retention areas to capture, retain and manage high volumes of water runoff from large areas of impervious surfaces.

Many municipal ordinances and best practices require the addition of organic matter to existing soil whenever installation of plant material takes place.  A target of 5% organic matter in soil provides increases in the following:

  • Water retention
  • Nutrient retention
  • Microbial activity
  • Sustainability
  • Physical, chemical and biological properties

In addition, project material costs can be reduced by up to 2/3 when 2″ of compost is applied vs bringing in 6″ of topsoil, while also lowering the project’s carbon footprint.

Want to learn more?  Check out the video below for more information:

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bio-retention soil, compost, engineered soil, laurel valley soils, LEED Certified, mushroom compost, organic matter, premium compost, STA Certified compost, stormwater management, US Compositng Council

June 6, 2017 by rbracey

Compost man

Would you wish for improved moisture holding capacity in your soil, so your plants would have increased drought tolerance and stay vibrant all summer?  Would you want to lighten up your heavy clay soils, improving percolation and reducing compaction, or would you want organic slow release nutrients that can steadily feed your plants all season long?

It would be hard to choose, right?  Because each of your projects may have different requirements and specifications, how would you ever be able to pick just one super power?

The good news is that you don’t have to pick just one!  You can actually get all these powers and more by simply incorporating Laurel Valley Soils OMRI Listed Premium COMPOST into your landscapes!

Organic matter has been Mother Nature’s go-to Super Power since 2320 BC.  We challenge you to think about how compost can super-charge not only your customers’ landscape installations, but your business!  Check out the infographic below to see how incorporating compost into your projects can get RESULTS, and elevate YOUR Company above the rest!

Compost-Infographic-18x23-Pg2

Call us today!   We have your OMRI Listed, STA Certified, Super-Powered Premium Compost that is screened, dry, and ready for action!  610-268-5555.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: compost, laurel valley soils, mushroom compost, organic matter, premium compost, soil, STA Certified compost, US Compositng Council

May 24, 2016 by rbracey

Do you know how the best looking lawns in the neighborhood get that way?

According to Joe Lamp’l, host of Growing a Greener World, it always begins with a generous topdressing of STA Certified Compost!  It’s the most readily available, economical, and stabilized form of organic matter on the market today.

Joe Lamp’l discusses how to topdress your lawn with compost in the video here:

Filed Under: Certified Organic Farms & Gardens, Construction & Stormwater, Garden Centers, Landscaping & Lawn Care, Soil, Sports Turf & Golf Tagged With: black gold, compost, Joe LAmp'l, laurel valley soils, mushroom compost, organic matter, STA Certified compost, US Compositng Council

April 27, 2016 by rbracey

Cira-4

Cira Green, Philadelphia’s first elevated public park and first blue-green roof, is a 1.25 acre park located on top of Cira Centre South in University City, which sits ninety-five feet above street level!  The oasis was built on a parking garage roof which overlooks Center City, University City and the Schuylkill River, and is an integral element in developing the Schuylkill River Greenway. The roof is both “blue” and “green,” with the blue roof  located under the paved walking areas to provide storm water management by capturing rain water which is then directed to irrigate the planted “green roof” areas.

Laurel Valley Soils was founded in 1979 by a handful of the nation’s leading mushroom growers who had the foresight before “sustainability” was a hot keyword to realize the opportunities available for upcycling their abundant, high organic matter, post-harvest mushroom compost. “Mushroom farmers from around the world visit our 120 acre facility located in the Mushroom Capital of the World to learn how to emulate our state-of-the-art practices.  We feel great pride to be leaders not only in mushroom compost production but environmental stewardship” notes our own Joseph DiNorscia, Manager of Laurel Valley Soils.

450 cubic yards of our “black gold” was blended into the growing media provided by rooflite® and used for Cira Green’s various green roofs as well as lawn areas and planters containing trees and perennials.

Cira-3

When selecting a location to kick off the nationally-focused 2016 International Compost Awareness Week being held May 1-7, 2016 and features the theme: Compost – The Soil and Water Connection,  the “blue” & “green” Cira Centre South was the perfect choice.  Events, including tours and education highlighting the benefits of incorporating compost into the engineered soils required for green roof projects are scheduled nationwide throughout the week.

DiNorscia, in conjunction with The US Composting Council (USCC), The Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF), The Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, and other notable industry leaders are kicking off the celebration on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 1:30pm at Cira Green with a summary of how this project was constructed and the role of compost in its success.

As a visitor to Cira Green, it’s hard to imagine that this complete aerial ecosystem is man-made and was previously a parking garage roof.  But one thing is for sure – with the warm weather upon us, it is proving to be a popular and dynamic green space in the city for all to enjoy!

Want to attend the ICAW Kickoff Event at Cira Green on Tuesday, May 3, 2016?  Contact me!  We would love to see you there!

Suzanne Longacre

Suzanne@LaurelValleySoils.com

866-LV-SOILS

Filed Under: Construction & Stormwater, Green Roofs Tagged With: black gold, Cira Centre, cira green, compost, green roofs, ICAW, international compost awareness week, laurel valley soils, mushroom compost, rooflite, US Compositng Council

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Landenberg, PA 19350-9204

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