The J&J Industries Wetlands Conservancy
In September 2003, J&J Industries donated 20 acres of land
to the city of Dalton, Georgia to be used as a wetland conservancy.
Final construction on the wetlands took place in 2005. Upon
completion, the site officially became known as the J&J Industries
Wetlands Conservancy.
The donated property is located adjacent to J&J’s main
campus, which houses over one million square feet of manufacturing
facilities. This acreage encompasses a one-quarter mile section of
Mill Creek, a tributary to the Conasauga River. The Conasauga
River watershed has over 92 species of fish and 27 species of freshwater
mussels. In addition to the aquatic diversity, the surrounding
wildlife habitat is rich with land species. The Conasauga River is
recognized by the EPA as one of the nation’s most biologically diverse
watersheds.
Aerial view of the donated property before construction.
In an effort to help protect this valuable resource, J&J, in
partnership with The Nature Conservancy, The Conasauga River Alliance,
and other contributors*, took on the task of designing a way to
naturally treat and contain storm water run-off from the J&J campus and
surrounding property while restoring and establishing additional
riparian habitat.
Landscape Architect's Rendering of Proposed Wetlands Conservancy
(Click to view larger image)
President and COO of J&J, Jim Bethel stated, “As part of J&J’s
Environmental Action Initiative, we wanted to show our commitment to
sustainability in more ways than just our products and manufacturing
process. We’ve been committed to using recycled nylon content in
our products and reducing landfill waste, water usage, and energy usage.
We felt it necessary to take it a step further and give back to our
local community. It is a belief that we have been blessed with
opportunities, and therefore, we are responsible for our actions.
We believe we have a choice – and we choose to do business fairly, treat
others as we wish to be treated, and to leave for future generations a
better world.”
Dalton’s Mayor Ray Elrod stated, “J&J Industries has played an
integral role in the local community for 47 years and on behalf of the
city of Dalton, we are honored to partner with J&J on such an exciting
and meaningful project. It’s great to see an industry leader show
such a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. And it
pleases me to see a local company give back to the community.
J&J’s corporate stewardship portrays a message of authentic community
pride and interest.”
History of The J&J Industries Wetlands Conservancy
In 1993, J&J acquired the agricultural tract that adjoined
its manufacturing site in order to “prevent commercial development, to
preserve this green space, and to reestablish a riparian buffer along
Mill Creek,” according to J&J’s Bethel. In 1995, native trees were
planted along the creek to further enhance the riparian buffer.
The purpose was to help slow the storm water run-off that flows towards
Mill Creek.
In 2001, understanding the long-term effects of storm water run-off,
J&J began working with The Nature Conservancy and local government to
establish a plan to prevent potential stream damage (from storm water
run-off) while recapturing a portion of the fallow fields for marsh
habitat. According to Shawn Clouse of The Nature Conservancy, “We were
excited when J&J contacted us for help on this project. We knew it
would be a win-win outcome for all involved. The Nature
Conservancy has been and will continue to serve as the catalyst for
producing ideas and conservation options both for the land and for
community involvement.”
In 2002, J&J again requested assistance from The Nature Conservancy
in drafting a specific plan for the area that included constructing a
berm in the fields. The berm impedes storm water from flowing
directly and quickly into Mill Creek. The constructed water
wetland allows storm water to filter into the ground and promotes
natural remediation of any pollutants. This process also recharges
natural subterranean reservoirs and minimizes the amount of shock to
Mill Creek.
Final construction was completed in 2005. With the assistance
of the City of Dalton and Whitfield County, a permanent berm was
constructed in the adjacent fallow field. Storm water from the
manufacturing campus and the surrounding areas is now retained in the
constructed storm water marsh, which allows selected vegetative systems
to clean and treat impurities associated with the storm water. The
benefit for the watershed is cleaner water, not only for wildlife, but
also for the many communities of the watershed.
Upon completion of the berm, the City of Dalton took control of the
land, which adjoins a 225-acre municipal recreation park. Plans
for the future development of the wetland site will take the designated
land area to the next level. Under the guidance of The Nature
Conservancy, UGA School of Environmental Design, and J&J, the city of
Dalton will turn the donated acreage into a regional resource to
demonstrate "best practices" in storm water management and to
demonstrate the possibilities of public/private cooperation in the
environmental arena.
In 2005, The Nature Conservancy of Georgia recognized
J&J Industries for its pioneering environmental effort in northwest
Georgia.
Wild Ducks Visiting the Pond in the Wetland Conservancy
*Other Contributors
City of Dalton
Dalton Utilities
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Limestone Valley RC&D
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services
University of Georgia School of Environmental Design
Whitfield County