Given the interval between our most recent blog post and this latest installment, some of you may be worried about us here at Wildwood. Fear not loyal followers! Despite the challenges accompanying the past 24 months (including multiple COVID outbreaks in the office and the Texas Snowpocalpyse), Wildwood remains, and our mission continues.
Stressful times tend to put things in perspective, clarifying one’s priorities and providing motivation to boldly pursue that which is most important. For Wildwood, the obstacles over the past two years have been no different. Now more than ever, our focus lies wholeheartedly with the restoration of the environments with which we are so closely connected. Wildwood’s mission is to change the landscape of conservation by passionately pursuing the creation of more resilient ecosystems while stewarding a legacy of restoration.
What exactly does that look like in application? For starters, we relentlessly pursue opportunities to bring the highest quality restoration projects to life, which merges economics and ecology. Last year, Wildwood’s Sea Breeze Mitigation Bank was approved, received its initial credit release, was sold out, constructed, revegetated, and is now in the process of receiving the majority of its remaining credits. We are proud to have dramatically transformed this ecosystem and to have expedited the issuance of numerous project permits requiring mitigation for our clients.
In addition to Sea Breeze Mitigation Bank’s success, Wildwood has two additional banks (Arnold Creek Mitigation Bank and West Galveston Bay Mitigation Bank) that are on the cusp of receiving final Corps approval. These banks will soon provide mitigation opportunities to the DFW and Texas Gulf Coast areas, respectively. Furthermore, we acquired Mill Creek Mitigation Bank and began work on five new projects (Bow and Arrow Conservation Bank, Kickapoo Creek Mitigation Bank, Oyster Bayou Mitigation Bank, Comanche Flats Mitigation Bank, and Little Pond Creek Mitigation Bank) that will encompass an additional 6,000 acres and expand operations into a new state! Fundamentally, these projects will protect critical wetland resources, restore over 25 miles of stream, and enhance endangered species habitats; but that’s not all folks! These projects will help provide efficient and cost-effective compensatory mitigation, transferring long-term environmental liabilities from our clients to us and allowing them to focus on what they do best while we are knee deep in the muck.
As you can see, Wildwood has been quite busy since our last blog post, which has included growth on the home front! Wildwood is thrilled to announce the addition of three new team members to help us keep pace with our clients’ needs: Austin Russell, Tillman Hurst, and Garrat Carson. They not only embody the spirit of Wildwood, but their combined expertise will also strengthen our team’s ability to generate creative mitigation strategies across a broad array of ecosystems.
Wildwood acknowledges that not everyone has been as fortunate as we have been over the past two years, so not only do we count ourselves among the lucky, but we also feel a responsibility to make the most of this opportunity. We hope you’ll join us in doing the same!