Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. Introduces Forestry Capabilities
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) is pleased to announce its recent expansion of the landscape and environmental planning teams into the fields of arboriculture and forestry. With two Certified Arborists (of the International Society of Arboriculture) on staff, the firm will now provide services related to timberstand delineations, tree health surveys, and mapping. These services will provide expertise and support to land planners and developers as well as private homeowners and golf courses. This expansion comes in response  to the regulations set forth by agencies as well as the desire and need from our clients for cost-effective land-planning solutions. For instance, a forest management plan can give a landowner an alternative to development but still make his land profitable. Timberstand delineations help to make developers aware of areas within the property that are good for building or those that should be avoided and preserved as green space. Street tree inventories and evaluations help to keep city streets safe and can be instrumental in planning future infrastructure.
Senior Project Manager Jim Orrell, a Certified Arborist and Landscape Architect, will be heading up the forestry services. Mr. Orrell is responsible for the design and development of environmental stewardship plans including forest management plans, timberstand delineations, street tree inventories, and health evaluations. The team also includes Mr. Brian Daliege, a Certified Arborist, who routinely conducts specimen tree surveys required by municipalities and advises on tree removals to address situations of tree health and aesthetics. Mr. Daliege has a background in forest management and forest habitat management including fire management, wildlife management, as well as large acreage timberstand management.
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. and Natural Channel Stream Design
Mr. George Rhodes, L.A. (Office Senior Project Manager) and Mr. Scott Blossom, P.E. (Water Resources Engineer) completed Level IV River Restoration and Natural Channel Design Training in Gunnison, Colorado. It is the culmination of 250 hours of classroom and field exercises, taught by instructor Dave Rosgen, a nationally recognized leader and authority in stream design and restoration. His methods of natural channel design incorporate fluvial geomorphology, sediment transport, and bio-engineering techniques into stream restoration designs. A reference reach or “blueprint” is utilized as the basis for restoration activities. The idea is to mimic natural stable stream channels in their settings, whether it is rural or urban. In a note from Mr. Rosgen himself addressed to course participants, he states, “Your efforts and dedication to river studies are not only sincerely appreciated but set a new direction for the improved management of rivers.”
 The certification enables WEG design teams to continue to incorporate natural channel design principles into compensatory mitigation plans and stream restoration construction plans. The Regulatory climate has shifted in this direction as well. Natural stream channel design principles are typically required to be incorporated into stream plans by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. WEG maintains a qualified team of professionals that include designers with valuable technical knowledge and experience as well as regulatory specialists who know and understand the ins and outs of permitting requirements.
Office Senior Project Manager and Senior Landscape Architect, George C. Rhodes, III, L.A. and Scott Blossom, P.E., CFM, LEED AP are now two of four WEG employees to have completed Level IV training, with seven additional WEG staff currently at various levels of Rosgen Training. Mr. Rhodes is responsible for assessment, design, construction, and monitoring related to stream restoration and wetland mitigation in WEG’s Herndon, Virginia office. “It will be a valuable tool that will be applicable in enhancing the quality and long-term sustainability of our restoration designs,” commented Mr. Blossom, who specializes in hydraulic analysis of restoration designs, habitat & stream assessments, and the preparation of construction documents and specifications for a variety of stream projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Cutting Costs on Development Projects: It Pays to Listen to DCR - Literally
Recently, there have been increased inspection and enforcement actions being undertaken by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in reference to the Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) permitting process (state level); which falls under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process, enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (national level). It is important for Developers to understand the ramifications for not adhering to the guidance and regulations set forth by the agencies that could make or break their projects. In terms of cost alone, projects could be hit with incredibly high amounts of fines. In working with these agencies in this industry on a daily basis, Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) has found a niche in saving its Clients from disastrous fines and potential project shut-down. Some common violation/fine scenarios:
 - A DCR inspector shows up to a project site and there is a violation with no evidence to show it’s ever been correct in the first place; DCR may issue a fine for that violation for each day since the beginning of the project. At $500 per day, per violation, this could add up to some hefty fines!
- Violations in record keeping can bring a $500 fine per violation per day!
- If a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is not present on-site, it could be a fine of $5,000
- A worst-case-scenario would be that the violations are so severe that a “stop work” order is placed on your job;
shutting it down so that no progress can be made, no revenue can be generated, and all the while you’re
spending the money to fix the violations… not to mention paying the fines!
One of WEG’s Construction Administration Team Leaders, David Overton, sees these kinds of violations all the time; “it’s an old adage” he commented, “but you spend a nickel to save a dollar.”
DCR anticipates reporting more projects for enforcement action, revising the penalty policy and issuing substantially higher penalties. Their inspections involve not only an inspection of the site for proper erosion control, but also the verification of required copies of permits, plans and inspection reports that must be kept at an on-site location. DCR will be enhancing their permit compliance program under a three (3) year Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grant. It important to make sure that development projects are in compliance with permit conditions. WEG’s Construction Administration Team is actively coordinating with site managers and contractors to make sure projects are continually reviewed for compliance.
DCR Publishes New Guidance - Resource Protection Areas: Nontidal Wetlands
Click [Here] for a copy of this Guidance
WEG Team Receives Merit Award from USGBC
The James River Green Building Council awarded a $10,000 building grant and seven awards to projects in central Virginia that support principles of sustainability.
The council is a regional chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council aimed at promoting awareness of energy efficient and sustainable development. The Poquoson Elementary School project, designed by VMDO Architects, won the Merit Award and WEG was honored to be an environmental consultant this project. WEG's primary work was with tidal wetland mitigation and sustainable landscape design.
WEG Named to the Aggie 100
Recently, W EG was named to The Aggie 100, which identifies, recognizes and celebrates the 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world. Founding Principal/President, Ronald J. Boyd, is a proud Aggie graduate, and attended the ceremony in late Fall. “It is really a team effort; we are surrounded by good people” commented Boyd, when asked about the award.
The 2006 edition of the Aggie 100 was announced Friday, October 13 at ceremonies on Texas A&M's College Station campus. The 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led companies in the world were honored at a luncheon attended by over 600 people. A&M leadership, students and business community representatives joined in the celebration to honor the first ever Aggie 100.
Cumulatively, Aggie 100 firms have more than 17,000 employees and revenues in excess of $3.3 billion in 2004. Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. has contributed to this number significantly and has grown by leaps and bounds these past few years – which immediately made them a contender for the running.
"The Aggie 100 is another unique feature of Texas A&M. In addition to honoring deserving graduates, the program provides a forum for today's students to interact with and learn from successful business people," said Robert M. Gates, president, Texas A&M University. "We are proud of our former students and appreciate their willingness to give back to the university that gave them a start in their career. I'll be excited to see the list in future years as today's students put these lessons into practice." Boyd mixed and mingled at the ceremony with past and present Aggie students, and was honored to meet with the Dean of the College of Geosciences, Atmospheric Science to discuss WEG’s award.
WEG Receives PREP Award from the USEPA for Excellence in Low Impact Development
 Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) was recently awarded one of the inaugural PREP (Policy, Research, Education, Partnerships) awards for Low Impact Development. The award program was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The program was developed to recognize leadership, innovation and excellence in low impact development practices which help to reduce the volume and rate of runoff and improve water quality. “We are so honored and proud to receive such a prestigious award,” said WEG Principal Ron Boyd, P.E. WEG was the only consultant recognized in the first round of awards.
Previously, many jurisdictions relied primarily on conventional engineered stormwater techniques, such as detention basins and wet ponds to collect stormwater. More recently, developers and consultants, government agencies, and watershed groups have placed more focus on innovative LID techniques that are more reliant upon the natural filtering capacity of landscaped areas. The practices involved in low impact development include a more varied array of controls such as rain gardens, reduction of impervious cover, permeable pavements, engineered soils, roof runoff management, and directing stormwater across lawns and gardens to reduce overall runoff and irrigation needs.
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) has been leading the way for the implementation of sustainable/conservation design techniques and LID techniques. Project team members have assisted clients in the public and private sector in developing sustainable site designs and stormwater management approaches which minimize the generation of runoff and provide full-spectrum hydrologic control and treatment.
WEG is also a recognized leader in incorporating LID practices into stormwater master plans. WEG staff members have worked on over 30 projects throughout Virginia incorporating low impact development concepts and/or designs. The application of LID techniques in a master plan setting provides a better framework for evaluating physical constraints and land planning factors to ensure a well-thought out, cost-effective application of LID practices.
Career Day at Lee Hill Elementary Sparks Students' Interest
On April 7th one of WEG's Ecologists in the Fredericksburg office participated in Career Day at Lee Hill Elementary in Spotsylvania County. He represented WEG Ecology department and provided a presentation to numerous second grade classes. Other professionals to participate included an FBI agent, interior designer, and lawyer among others. Key components of the presentation included a brief overview of what the Ecology staff responsibilities are at WEG, a brief overview of wetland ecology, a “show and tell” session, and a final Q&A session. The kids seemed very interested in the presentation and particularly fascinated with the idea of working primarily outdoors as opposed to in an office the majority of the time. Field equipment and tools were brought in order to pass around as well as a few plant samples that had been recently collected in the field. This “show and tell” session sparked quite a few questions and an obvious fascination with the idea of spending a workday outside in the woods. " I was inspired by all the thoughtful responses to the questions I had for the students and by all their interest projected in their questions for me," commented the speaker.
LID Retrofit Environmental Excellence Award for Construction
 In conjunction with The Northern Neck Planning District Commission (NNPDC), Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) received the Ecological Excellence Award for Construction, sponsored by the Virginia Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society. WEG assisted The NNPDC in developing the project concept, preparing the grant application, designing of the proposed retrofits, bidding assistance, and assistance with construction inspection, development of project signage, and participated in a training/educational seminar on LID retrofit measures. The project was completed on time and under budget.
At the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Annual Winter Meeting, W. Douglas Beisch, P.E. and Daniel Malone of WEG, along with NNPDC representatives, were there to accept the award. “It’s been an exciting project for WEG these past months and we are very proud to have The NNPDC and WEG's hard work recognized in such a way,” commented Beisch.
Pictured in the photo from left to right: Phillip McClellan, MapTech, Inc. - President of the Soil and Water Conservation Society; Stuart L. McKenzie, Environmental Planner, Northern Neck Planning District Commission; Jerry W. Davis, AICP, Executive Director, Northern Neck Planning District Commission; W. Douglas Beisch, Jr., P.E, Sr. Water Resource Engineer, Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc.;
Daniel L. Malone, Environmental Planner I, Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc.;
Deb Phares, Pinelands Nursery, Toano, Virginia
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