Adding Wellness to Diet-based Chesapeake Bay Best Management Practices Using Biology to Build Self-replicating Bay Restoration Michael Collins Center for Natural Capital SoilKeepers

Presentation Highlights (Theory to Practice) Fractal Geometry shows that everything in the universe is repeating math patterns Geometrically speaking = water, plants, soil bacteria, and human brain cells are the same thing at different scales Environmental Policy could and should learn much from Human Health Policy Wellness BMPs are cost effective

A Healthy Bay Operates Just Like a Healthy Human Body Fractal Geometry shows that life in the universe is repeating patterns of nature. We learned Euclidian geometry in school – 1 dimension, 2 dimensions, 3 dimensions, etc. In nature we find that she works in fractions of dimensions (wow!) Every fractional geometric equation produces breathtaking beauty found in every niche of the natural world. The same geometric equation that creates lung tissue also creates trees.

Since man (and woman) and nature are derived from the same geometric equations, we might consider applying human health conceptual models in our continued quest for better environmental policy.

Our Current Bay Health Conceptual Model

The Pollution Diet EPA TMDL Website: … pollution diet …25 percent reduction nitrogen …24 percent reduction phosphorus …20 percent reduction in sediment pollution control measures … in place by “

Diet-based BMPs 1st Generation Example: grass filter strips …control volume …treat pollutants

Diet-based BMPs 2 nd Generation Example: green roofs, bioretention, rain gardens - reduces runoff leaving site - mimicks hydrologic patterns

Our Current Human Health Conceptual Model

Wellness = Exercise + Diet

Lose Weight: Diet Boost Energy: Exercise Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease: Diet Prevent Diabetes: Exercise Relaxed Mind: Exercise Prevent Cancer: Exercise + Diet

Wellness-based Best Management Practices would add exercise to diet-based BMPs

Examples Compost without Ripping and Compost Extract Healthy Soil Biology

Compost without Ripping and Compost Extracts Compost Amendment currently allowed BMP However, ripping or tilling required and not practical for suburban application

Healthy Soil Biology

Case Study Return on Investment (ROI) of Healthy Soil and Native Plant Biodiversity

Healthy Soil

Cost Effectiveness Comparison Metric – Nitrogen Cycling Fescue needs 3 lbs./1000 sq. ft./yr. ~ 135 lbs./acre/yr.

Synthetic Management Biologically Dead Soil No N cycling Commercial Turf Builder – 38 lb. bag – 32% N – 12 lbs./bag 11 bags/yr. needed $600/yr. materials and labor $6k/10 yrs. or $12k/20 yrs.

Healthy Soil Management Biologically Dead Soil ~ $6000/acre year 1 for.25” compost or equivalent No cost Years 2-10 $6000/decade cost ROI (20 years) 100%

Synthetic Management Cost of Nitrogen Loss University research shows 1-8% loss of synthetic N in runoff/yr. Best case = 1.3 lbs./yr. Assume urban N removal cost of $1k/lb. Approximate cost to society of $10,000 every 10 yrs. Unknown at this time N loss in soils with healthy biology

Turf Naturalization

Naturalization ROI for Phosphorus Reduction $4500 materials and labor install $2250 Societal cost shared Ches. Bay Program 2014 Urban Load average rate 1.5 lbs./acre Assume.15 acre for this lot Assume 50% mass load P reduction for vegetation =.075 lbs. P reduction Assume $40,000 cost per lb. P reduction filter strip Society ROI 33%

Conclusions Time to consider 3 rd Generation Ches. Bay Wellness-based BMPs Wellness practices more expensive upfront but save money over time Positive ROI Cost share type language for suburban homeowners makes them nervous