University of Maryland to Build New Greenhouse; Plans Include Creation of New Wetlands

COLLEGE PARK, Md. University of Maryland officials plan to build a new greenhouse facility on the north end of the campus to replace the existing 50-year old greenhouse beginning later this year. Construction plans include diverting a stream channel to improve drainage on neighboring properties and the creation of 70,000 square feet of new wetlands to replace about 35,000 square feet of wetlands that will be lost.

The university's existing greenhouse facility at Harrison Lab on Route 1 in College Park is in serious disrepair and can no longer serve the research needs of scientists working on critical problems of sustainable agricultural production and environmental protection, university officials say.

"The Research Greenhouse Complex is essential to the mission of this university as the state's land grant institution," said Thomas A. Fretz, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "This new state-of-the-art facility will support critical research in basic and applied plant biology, bioremediation and biomass conversion. We will be tackling some of the most important environmental issues of our time in this building."

The $12 million facility, partially supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will occupy a six-acre wooded site that includes about 35,000 square feet of non-tidal wetlands and 1,120 linear feet of stream channel. The functionality of the existing wetlands is debatable, especially in comparison to the quality replacement wetlands that are planned, said J. Scott Angle, soil scientist and associate dean of the College of Agriculture.

Public hearing scheduled August 17

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 17 in Ritchie Coliseum. The Department of Natural Resources is expected to schedule another hearing on the project in early September. At the university's request, the public comment period following the MDE hearing has been extended two weeks to Sept. 15 to allow students and faculty ample opportunity to comment.

Much of the research that will be conducted in the new greenhouse facility will address environmental issues, including rehabilitation of wetlands, said Angle. Examples of the planned research include testing of plant species for establishment of constructed wetlands; movement of heavy metals through wetlands soils; testing of plant species requiring reduced pesticides and fertilizers; biocontrol of insects using insect predators; development of plants for the remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals and toxic organics; ozone and climate change effects on plant growth; and pesticide movement through turfgrass.

The university's plans will actually result in some improvements in storm drainage conditions in nearby residential neighborhoods, said J. Frank Brewer, assistant vice president for facilities management. "We are rerouting the existing human-made channel to wrap around the greenhouse site," Brewer said. "This will be accomplished by creating a stream restoration element that will include wet-tolerant plant material, natural grading elements, and erosion control features. This restoration will mimic the features of a naturally occurring stream channel and will significantly benefit ground water quality and environmental stability Plans developed to create 70,000 square feet of high-quality, self-sustaining wetlands

"We are confident that the modifications being made on behalf of this project will result in multiple environmental improvements in this area of the campus and will also correct some stormwater management problems that have previously impacted neighboring residential properties," Brewer said.

"We also plan to create 70,000 square feet of high-quality, self-sustaining wetlands that will effectively do what wetlands are supposed to do: filter surface waters before they enter stream channels and provide habitat for plants and animals," Brewer said. University engineers will evaluate potential wetlands sites with help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which evaluates and designates wetlands areas.

Brewer said university officials evaluated seven other potential sites for the greenhouse but rejected them because they failed to meet the criteria for siting the facility.

"The greenhouse has very demanding site requirements, including a straight north-south orientation axis, flat surface, a six-acre footprint and easy access from the academic core of the campus," Brewer said. "In addition, we had to consider the cost differentials for construction and environmental impacts for different sites. This is the single site that meets all of the criteria and can be developed with minimal cost and manageable environmental impacts."

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