New regulations are being put into place that prevent the loss of natural wetlands within the U.S. borders. These new regulations are enforced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The regulations require that any damage to wetlands equaling 1/10 acre or more be mitigated, in effecting creating a no net-loss policy for natural wetlands.

Thien Farm Management, Inc. has successfully started the first wetland mitigation bank in the State of Iowa. The G. William Coulthard Wetland Mitigation Bank is available for use for people or companies needing to mitigate natural wetland damages. The entire process of site location, permit process, and development has taken over two years and has been a great experience.

Wetland mitigation banks allow farmers, developers, corporations and highway and industrial developers to purchase wetland credits to replace and compensate for unavoidable losses to natural wetland areas. Before wetland credits are sold, developers must try do the following: locate an alternative development site, minimize wetland damage, and mitigate damages on-site. If all the above alternatives are unavailable the wetland credits can be sold to the developers with the approval of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies.

Thien Farm Management, Inc. has taken the time to learn the wetland mitigation bank process and has the knowledge to provide consulting services to people interested in starting a wetland mitigation bank here in Iowa or across the nation. Our consulting services range from total wetland mitigation bank development to simply answering questions about the entire process. Thien Farm Management, Inc. can locate the proper site, determine the need for a bank, prescribe a development plan, develop a prospectus, communicate with all the government agencies involved, and draft the wetland banking instrument.

To look at the G. William Coulthard Wetland Mitigation Bank go to : www.midwestwetlandcredits.com.