StructureSpot

StructureSpot

Category: Fish Habitat News

If you have questions about natural fish habitat, fish structure, fish attractors, artificial fish habitat or Growing big fish, this is the Structurespot.
Here you will find information about fishiding artificial fish habitat, as well as all the others. From stories about sinking train cars and planes, to planting natural plants, we can talk about it here. Show us your own contraptions and how they are working out. Send us your pics of your structure and get advice on all aspects of this growing industry.

Last chance to secure funds for fish habitat

Posted on by david

Time is running out to apply for more than half a million dollars worth of grants for projects to enhance recreational fishing throughout NSW. Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Conservation Manager, David Cordina, said applications for the NSW Government’s Habitat Action Grant program close at 5pm on Friday 28 September 2012.

“Habitat Action Grant program grants of up to $40,000 are available for individuals or groups interested in rehabilitating fish habitat,” he said.

“These grants are open to fishing clubs, Landcare, Rivercare and other community groups, individuals, local councils and Catchment Management Authorities wanting to improve habitat for recreational fish in their local area.

“This program supports local communities in protecting good habitat, and rehabilitating degraded habitat for more productive recreational fisheries.”

Mr Cordina said projects that will be considered include bank stabilisation works, removal of barriers to fish passage, rehabilitation of riparian lands, re-snagging waterways, weed control works and reinstatement of natural flow regimes.

“Applications must relate to the improvement of fish habitat that provides direct benefit to recreational fishing,” Mr Cordina said.

“Projects that involve recreational fishers will be given preference.

“Previous community projects have provided fantastic outcomes for our native fish and are great examples of how recreational fishing fees are helping to support recreational fishing and boosting fish numbers, naturally.”

“So hurry, you have only weeks left to apply.”

The Habitat Action Grant program is funded from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and is administered by DPI.

For more information about the program, examples of past Habitat Action Grant projects and application forms visit the DPI Habitat Action Grants web page, or call (02) 6881 1277 or (02) 4916 3817.

Media contact: Tom Braz 02 6391 3686 or 0428 256 596

Project aims to bring more fish to Smith Mountain Lake

Posted on by david
Shallow cover for fry.
Standing on a bank at Smith Mountain Lake, Michael Forte watched as Appalachian Power workers on a barge lowered what looked like a wooden pyramid the size of a small refrigerator into the lake.

Forte, of Franklin County, designed it himself, and now the invention is part of an assortment of habitat devices that will be used to determine how to entice more fish into coves at the lake.

With the help of Internet research, Forte built a similar pyramid habitat and installed it under his boathouse a few years ago. He said it caused a “dramatic difference” in the number of fish swimming in his cove; today, there are dozens and dozens as opposed to very few.

“I just wanted to see if I could attract some fish,” he said. “And it worked.” See the dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

The power company, which uses Smith Mountain and Leesville lakes to produce electricity through a two-reservoir hydroelectric generation dam, hopes to duplicate that kind of success in drawing fish to shallow water areas, said Liz Parcell, a plant manager.

Last week, workers lowered about a dozen similar fish habitat devices in areas shallower than 20 feet in the cove below the Discovery Center at Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Bedford County.

"The Cradle"
“Fine, dense cover for the smallest of fish.

Some of the habitat designs were natural collections of brush and twigs; others were man-made and included cinder blocks, wood pallets and various pipes.

“It’s kind of like a scientific project,” Parcell said.

Some designs resembled objects that might be seen in art galleries, but that will change over time, she said. (possibly the fishiding structures)“They’ll get covered in algae; they won’t look like this for long,” Parcell said. 

The goal is to study what designs work and then share that information with lake homeowners, who in turn could use it to create fish habitats of their own.

Next year, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will send scuba divers near the habitats placed in the water to gauge their effectiveness in drawing more fish, Parcell said.

The work is tied to the 30-year license renewal that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted APCo in 2010, she said. The license, which the commission renewed after years of planning and debate among lake-area stakeholders, calls for a habitat-management plan and improved habitat along the shoreline.

Lake-area residents and landowners will have to obtain permits from the company before installing the habitats, Parcell said. APCo is working to have that process online, she said, and hopes to have it up and running soon.

“Hopefully, no one gets too excited too quickly,” she said.

By: JUSTIN FAULCONER | The News & Advance
LYNCHBURG, Va. —

National Fish Habitat Partnership Releases Updated Action Plan to Conserve America’s Aquatic Resources

Posted on by david
Bass habitat

The new, second edition of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan advances science-based conservation mission and incorporates new objectives focused on locally driven efforts to reverse deteriorating fish habitats.

National Fish Habitat Action Plan, Second Edition

Quote startThe revised Action Plan is built on the success and experience of our Partners.Quote end

Washington, DC (PRWEB) August 29, 2012

The National Fish Habitat Board today released the second edition of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (Action Plan), setting forth a mission-critical approach to conserving the nation’s aquatic resources for the future. The original National Fish Habitat Action Plan, created in 2006, carried a great vision forward to protect, restore and enhance aquatic habitats through partnerships. While the original Plan met its objectives set forth in 2010, the mission and goals of the plan remain the same and are the foundation of the second edition of the Plan for 2012 and beyond.

The second edition of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan is built on the foundation of advancing the conservation practices of the individual National Fish Habitat Partnerships, the working units of the National Fish Habitat Partnership. The five new objectives in the Plan include:

    • Achieve measurable habitat conservation results through strategic actions of Fish Habitat Partnerships that improve ecological condition, restore natural processes, or prevent the decline of intact and healthy systems leading to better fish habitat conditions and increased fishing opportunities.
    • Establish a consensus set of national conservation strategies as a framework to guide future actions and investment by the Fish Habitat Partnerships by 2013.
    • Broaden the community of support for fish habitat conservation by increasing fishing opportunities, fostering the participation of local communities – especially young people – in conservation activities, and raising public awareness of the role healthy fish habitats play in the quality of life and economic well-being of local communities.
    • Fill gaps in the National Fish Habitat Assessment and its associated database to empower strategic conservation action supported by broadly available scientific information, and integrate socio-economic data in the analysis to improve people’s lives in a manner consistent with fish habitat conservation goals.
  • Communicate the conservation outcomes produced collectively by Fish Habitat Partnerships as well as new opportunities and voluntary approaches for conserving fish habitat to the public and conservation partners.

The second edition of the Action Plan details how the new objectives will be implemented. The Plan also highlights conservation “Partnership in Action” stories from Fish Habitat Partnerships to provide insight into their work on the ground. Other sections explain the functions of the National Fish Habitat Board and Partnerships and the critical role of science and data and effective communications to guide activities. Interesting facts and figures related to the National Fish Habitat Partnership, recreational and commercial fishing fill out the rest of the Plan. See the dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

“The revised Action Plan is built on the success and experiences of our Partners,” said Kelly Hepler, Chairman of the National Fish Habitat Board and Assistant Commissioner, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “Creating and maintaining these Partnerships is the foundation of the Action Plan and will be the primary focus as we address conservation needs for our nation’s waterways now and into the future.”

The National Fish Habitat Board, Fish Habitat Partnerships, federal and state natural resource agencies, conservation organizations and the National Fish Habitat Partner Coalition participated in the selection process of the revised Plan objectives. The release of the revised Action Plan coincides with the launch of the updated National Fish Habitat Partnership website at http://www.fishhabitat.org.

To view and download a PDF of the revised Action Plan, visit http://www.fishhabitat.org/images/nfhp_ap_final.pdf.

About the National Fish Habitat Partnership
The National Fish Habitat Partnership (http://www.fishhabitat.org) works to conserve fish habitat nationwide—leveraging federal, state and private funding sources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects. The national partnership implements the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and supports 18 regional grassroots partner organizations.

Structures Killing Fish Habitat

Posted on by david

DENR Fears Man Made Structures Killing Fish Habitat

BILL HITCHCOCK AUGUST 27, 2012

DENR Fears Man Made Structures Killing Fish Habitat

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) is trying to find out if estuarine piers, docks, bridges and bulkheads are depleting the fishery habitat. For over two years now NCDENR has been mapping North Carolina’s 12,000 miles of estuarine shoreline in an attempt to create an online map showing all of these manmade structures and the effect on the environment they may have had. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models at fishiding.com, the leader in true fish protection.

NCDENR is working on the premise that man-made structures are blocking sunlight thus reducing the amount of sub-aquatic vegetation necessary for fish survival and propagation.They want to see how big of a shadow is being cast by man-made structures over the waters of North Carolina’s 20 coastal counties.

For more on the story go to the PilotOnline.com

Michigan fish habitat reconstruction a great success for the fish

Posted on by david

Bringing Back the Fish: Michigan Sea Grant Oversees Successful Habitat Reconstruction

By Stephanie Ariganello, Michigan Sea Grant

Plan for the fish habitat restoration project. Credit: Michigan Sea GrantPlan for the fish habitat restoration project. Credit: Michigan Sea Grant

The unmanned camera bounced along a rock reef on floor of the St. Clair River. Researchers watched the monitor. Then a long, dark shape came into focus and another and another. The looming figures were lake sturgeon. The team whooped at the discovery: the restoration was working and much sooner than anticipated.

The goals of the project are to:

  • Construct one acre of fish spawning reefs connected to 14 square miles of nursery area in the St. Clair Delta.
  • Enhance the reproduction of native fish.
  • Restore fish habitat and help delist the St. Clair Area of Concern.
  • Improve understanding of fish communities and habitat restoration.

“It is science in action,” said Jennifer Read, assistant director of Michigan Sea Grant and project lead on the St. Clair River Middle Channel Restoration project. “This is the kind of research project where we’re performing research not just to learn new things, but to apply what we’ve discovered. And with this project, we’ve been rewarded with early success.”

The lake sturgeon were congregating on rock reefs installed as part of the restoration project in the St. Clair River, led by Michigan Sea Grant. The project focuses on restoring fish spawning habitat in order to add young fish to the stocks of several endangered or threatened fish species in Michigan, including lake sturgeon, mooneye, northern madtom catfish and river redhorse suckers. Valuable commercial and sport fish such as walleye, lake whitefish and perch are also expected to use the reefs for spawning.

“Obviously there was a need for more spawning habitat based on the immediate response by the sturgeon,” said Terry Heatlie, habitat restoration specialist with NOAA Fisheries Restoration Center, Great Lakes Regional office. “It’s special because this would not have happened without the restoration project, without restoring spawning habitat in the river.”

click to expand imageReef habitat restoration in the St. Clair River Middle Channel. Credit: Michigan Sea GrantReef habitat restoration in the St. Clair River Middle Channel. Credit: Michigan Sea Grant

When given enough time, Heatlie said, some land or water issues heal themselves. With habitat restoration, that is not typically the case. It requires intervention. The construction was completed in June. Nine rock reefs were created, providing an acre of restored fish spawning habitat in the river.

The St. Clair River connects the waters of Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair, where water then flows through the Detroit River and eventually into Lake Erie. The channel is a major shipping route and forms a border between the U.S. and Canada. Because of its location in the heart of the Great Lakes, the restoration has potential to benefit waters upstream and downstream of the construction. The restoration efforts could also provide cultural and economic benefits, bolstering commercial and sport fishing and contributing to a higher quality of life in an area currently listed as an Area of Concern under the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

In the early 1900s, the rivers connecting Lakes Huron and Erie were widened and deepened to accommodate larger, modern commercial shipping vessels. Dredging and depositing the materials in different locations in the river damaged fish spawning sites — and subsequently, fish populations.

click to expand imageResearchers inspect egg mats as part of the Middle Channel Restoration project. Credit: Michigan Sea GrantResearchers inspect egg mats as part of the Middle Channel Restoration project. Credit: Michigan Sea Grant

To compensate for the habitat loss, Michigan Sea Grant and project partners (U.S. Geological Survey, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the University of Michigan, NOAA, SmithGroup JJR andMichigan Wildlife Conservancy) constructed two reef projects previously in the Detroit River. The location and design of the Middle Channel reefs were chosen based on studies of fish populations and lessons learned during the previous projects.

“That’s what is really unique about the Middle Channel project,” said Read. “It reflects over ten years of work performed by a multi-agency science team tackling increasingly complex questions over a large geographical area. It represents a successful, system-wide approach to restoration.”

Researchers surveyed the new reefs and collected eggs. It was confirmed. Lake sturgeon successfully deposited and fertilized their eggs on the reefs and the eggs produced viable sturgeon larvae.

Post-construction assessments are planned to ensure the Middle Channel Reefs are being used by a variety of fish species. The goal, aside from reestablishing the habitat, is to help remove the St. Clair River from the bi-national list of Areas of Concern. Two more spawning reefs for native fish are being planned for the St. Clair River in 2013 and 2014, as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Wood habitat in Table Rock rotting away after 50 years underwater

Posted on by david
This unusual barge can deposit several tons of rock into the lake to help create new fish habitat.

This unusual barge can deposit several tons of rock into the lake to help create new fish habitat. / Missouri Department of Conservation
Written by
David Casaletto
Executive Director, Ozarks Water Watch
The Missouri Department of Conservation uses this unusual barge to dump heavy rocks or tree stumps into Table Rock Lake to help improve fish habitat. MDC also uses a different 'fish habitat barge' to deposit trees and brush piles into the lake.

The Missouri Department of Conservation uses this unusual barge to dump heavy rocks or tree stumps into Table Rock Lake to help improve fish habitat. MDC also uses a different ‘fish habitat barge’ to deposit trees and brush piles into the lake. / Missouri Department of Conservation

Table Rock Lake is more than 50 years old.

When the lake was created, much of the Ozark forest was flooded, and the trees and brush provided cover for the lake’s fish populations. But after 50 years, most of that fish habitat has disappeared.

In 2007, the Table Rock Lake National Fish Habitat Initiative (NFHI) project began with the primary objective to improve fish habitat in Table Rock Lake. Additional goals include: Improve the water quality of Table Rock Lake and its tributaries, monitor the effectiveness and longevity of habitat structures, and develop a framework for a broader national habitat program.

Project partners include the Missouri Department of Conservation, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Southwestern Power Administration, Ozarks Water Watch, Table Rock Lake Water Quality, James River Basin Partnership and other private groups and citizens.

To improve habitat, the Initiative project places cedar trees, hardwood treetops and recycled Christmas trees in the lake to create habitat with a “fish habitat barge.” The barge was built for this purpose by Tracker Marine in Lebanon, Mo. It is a large pontoon-style boat with a hydraulic lift on the front that raises and dumps the habitat into the lake.

Another barge called the “rock barge” is contracted to place larger (and heavier) habitat structure consisting of rocks, boulders and stumps. The state conservation department gets these materials from developers, contractors and landowners who are clearing land and need to dispose of them.

To date, 1,810 brush piles, 104 rock structures, 76 stump fields, 11 stump/rock combinations and 26 rock “fence” structures have been installed for a total of 2,027 new habitat structures in Table Rock Lake. These structures were placed in areas and depths that are available for fish during most of the year.

They have been located by positioning systems and can be found (and downloaded) on the department’s website at:http://newmdcgis.mdc.mo.gov/tablerock/. In addition, the department has placed green signs on the shoreline near some structures.

The Initiative also recognizes that water quality is a critical component of fish habitat. Funding has been contributed to the James River Basin Partnership, Table Rock Lake Water Quality and Ozarks Water Watch for cost sharing to homeowners to pump out septic tanks and replace failing septic systems.

These water quality organizations have combined over the past five years to pump out more than 2 million gallons of septic effluent and replace more than 100 failing septic systems.

All participants receive a packet of water quality educational materials and septic system maintenance information. Funds are still available to share the cost for pumpouts and for replacing failing septic systems.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

To monitor and evaluate the Initiative structures that have been placed in Table Rock Lake, the state conservation department has designated four evaluation techniques: fish sampling, Scuba observations, an angler survey and a black bass biotelemetry study.

By monitoring fish use of the habitat structures, the department is learning what techniques and designs work best for placing habitat during the remainder of the Initiative project and in other lakes in Missouri. Information gathered from the evaluation will allow the department to share ideas and techniques with other state agencies that are working to improve fish habitat in reservoirs.

By all accounts, this is a success story, but is that area going to be loaded with fish? Will a fisherman always be able to find fish off those trees? The only way to find out is to get out there and fish those areas. And the only way for biologists to know if the project is working is if anglers let them know.

Visitthe Missouri Department of Conservation websiteand download the GPS points, print off a map and go fish.

Texas tree top habitat causes Govenor intervention.

Posted on by david

Dear friends,

I was recently contacted by J Harmon, President of the Protect lake Dunlap association in New Braunfels,Texas. He explained to me their struggle with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority over existing small diameter standing timber being hazardous to recreation use. Apparently, The GBRA has denied the cutting of these stumps to protect fish habitat and recommends marking these areas off to boat use which has the residents upset.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

The PLDA’s plan is to draw down the reservoir and shorten the existing hazards about eight feet from normal surface elevation. I’m told there are hundreds of them and already have caused many accidents and property damage. J says the average depth is about 15 feet, so when cut, they would still stick up about 6-8 feet off the bottom, root ball intact.

After cutting, they plan to set one of our PVC habitat units on the remaining stump and fasten it there for good. This would increase the square footage of surface area approximately three times. The thinking is, with our units within six feet of the surface as water fluctuates, boats, skiers and water craft will be safe, including the fish. J and the group understand the benefits of not only keeping as much existing habitat as possible but to continue to add more habitat. The cut off tops would be kept and fastened to the remaining trunk too.

They have a full understanding of the science behind periphyton, nutrient removal and fish production and feel unwavering in their decision to work with only us in their efforts.

Senator Jeff Wentworth supports PLDA. With his intervention and the phone call from Gov. Rick Perry, GBRA’s action item #8 was tabled. The PLDA has been granted 30 days, (less now) to present their case for a final decision of what will be allowed. The General Manager and staff continue to meet with representatives of Lake Dunlap, enforcement officers, and fishery experts to evaluate the current no-wake area designation and alternative options to provide water safety and assure a balance of all uses including the preservation of fishery habitat and funding mechanisms, and to continue to review and develop alternatives that address congestion and lake boating conflict uses on Lake Dunlap and to report back to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting in August 2012.

What I’m asking of you once again is your opinion, hopefully your support. Can you find any adverse effects of removing these hazardous stumps as long as the habitat is replaced in other ways/forms? Can you comment on the benefits of the artificial habitat we produce and results you have seen? What can we expect to see in a 300 % increase in available cover for the fishery? With our help, the PLDA intends to present their plan for approval as a landmark decision for the state of Texas. Safety for the residents and fish is the priority of both sides, in that order. All parties involved want to save and increase fish habitat. Wood is good, just not where people get hurt. Send replies to either Jarod or myself at david@fishiding.com Thanks.

Here are some links to the information as well as Jerod Harmon’s contact information:
news story:
http://www.ksat.com/news/Lake-Dunlap-res…rz/-/index.htmlhttp://www.plda.org/index.htmlhttps://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.plda.org%2Ffiles%2Fstump_removal_procedure.pdfhttp://www.gbra.org/
jrharmon123@yahoo.com
713-202-8870

Fish habitat crusader awarded Churchill Fellowship

Posted on by david

 Craig Copeland - working to save our fish habitat. Image NSW DPI

Craig Copeland – working to save our fish habitat. Image NSW DPI

CRAIG Copeland, Manager of the Conservation Action Unit within the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has been awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to investigate the motivation of recreational fishers in the US, UK and Ireland to restore fish habitat.

“Craig, who is based at Wollongbar, is highly regarded throughout Australia for his work in aquatic habitat rehabilitation,” said NSW DPI Director General Richard Sheldrake.

“He has led the pioneering unit responsible for fish habitat rehabilitation in NSW which has resulted in massive improvements to fish habitat and fish populations through initiatives such as fishway construction, weir removals, fish-friendly road crossings, floodgate management, riparian revegetation and river resnagging programs.”

Copeland’s work in educating and engaging the broader recreational fishing community on habitat issues is proving successful with some of the larger recreational fishing groups through the establishment of the Fish Habitat Network program.

Dr Sheldrake said the Fellowship will provide an opportunity for Mr Copeland to travel to countries in the Northern Hemisphere where recreational fishing groups and individual fishers are the principal players in restoring fish habitat. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

“By interviewing fishers in these countries, Craig will get to understand their motivations and capacities – and bring back expertise aimed at increasing the capability of Australian recreational fishers to support and improve their fishery.

“The lessons learned will be immediately transferred to recreational fishers and habitat managers here in NSW.”
Copeland said the sustainability of recreational fishing and the capacity of the sector to grow are dependent on healthy fish stocks.

“Over three million people fish recreationally each year making it one of the most significant outdoor activities undertaken by Australians,” he said.

“There is great scope to significantly increase the proportion of recreational fishers in NSW who contribute time, funding and effort to rehabilitate fish habitat and, as a result, increase fish populations.”

Copeland plans to undertake his Fellowship trip in early 2013 and will report back to the
recreational fishing community later in the year.

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which was established after the death of Sir Winston
Churchill in accordance with his final wishes, has now funded more than 3,700 Fellowships for Australians. http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/fish-habitat-crusader-awarded-churchill-fellowship

MBL Recycling provides vinyl siding for fish habitat…by the tons!

Posted on by david
We have a new supplier of material to keep up with demand at fishiding artificial fish habitat products world headquarters in Woodstock Illinois. 30 yard containers of clean sorted siding are delivered to our facility two at a time, twice a week. That’s an average of 10,000 pounds of material per week.
Fellow construction and demolition contractor Ken Hoving, who has been supplying us with material for about a year and a half, helped set up this match made for the fish. These guys process material with a well greased flow to sort and re-use up to 80% of the material they bring in. In the past, as little as six months ago, all this material was destined for the landfill. Needless to say they are more than happy to see it going to such a could use to provide habitat for fish as well as removing excessive nutrients and converting them into fish food.
See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.
Bio film, Periphyton and algae grow on the inert substrate and begin the food chain. This natural occurring process mimics nature and cleanses the water of contaminants. This growth provides the “mothers milk” of nourishment for fish up to about one year old. Lasting underwater forever, this process only improves with more time.
The reusable experts

Started in October 2002 with just one truck and 30 boxes, Wendy Gold and her brother Robert Lenzini have modeled the foundations of their family’s generational business, Lenzini Excavating, initiating 37 years ago, into today’s MBL Recycling, established as an operation that specializes in the recycling of construction waste and demolition debris. Slowly but surely, the company has modestly added to its fleet, which now counts to eight trucks and close to 400 boxes.

Over time, the company has grown from its initial days of hand sorting to separate the waste material to a state-of-the-art facility that brings efficiency to the sorting process and new levels to both volume and productivity. The facility current stands at 41,000 square feet.

Based in Palatine, Ill., where the company’s new facility was developed in 2005, MBL Recycling offers full roll-off container services to its customer base, offering anywhere from 10 to 30 yard containers. The recycled material sorted, processed, source separated and is then sold back to the market. For example, recycled shingles are turned to asphalt in order to construct city roads. In 2007, MBL Recycling added concrete washout containers to its extensive line of services, further improving its position in the marketplace, tackling the market with a different style box, while the boxes also better comply with growing environmental standards.

Programs and services

The addition of 11,000 square feet to its new material recovery facility allows plenty of space for future growth.

And as its volume has continued to grow, MBL Recycling has seen an increase in incoming streams from diversifying construction projects, further adding to both the demand and specification of the waste separation. Because of such a high volume with its customers, MBL Recycling was able to hold its percentage in the market as the company successfully navigated the impact of the global economic downturn, which was specifically damaging to the American housing economy.

Business development

“Construction is really down here. Housing has come to a halt. We were pretty fortunate though because we never really focused much on housing,” said Robert. “We did a lot more commercial and it has slowed down…but nowhere near the housing.

“Will next year be any better? It is still too early to tell. We see it from an excavating side because we can tell when they bring in bids and how much work is there for the spring, and there isn’t much,” added Robert, illustrating that the excavating business allows for a unique secondary insight into the future.

“We pinch ourselves everyday that we are here and still going. We are riding the storm and doing everything status quo until everything bounces back. We’re always thinking of new things, but we have a couple hurdles here in Illinois that we are trying to work on now too (like getting into the drywall recycling market),” said Wendy.

“We were able to pick up some of the slack from some of the other guys that were in the housing market. The shingles this year also brought our tonnages way up,” said Robert. “Before we used to have to ship [the shingles] to Wisconsin and they used them in asphalt mix. Just in the last year, Illinois recognized this and got a standard for it.”

“We do a lot of work with Power Construction (based in Schaumburg, Ill.), a high profile contractor. We do a lot of hospital additions. We just finished the Northwest Community Hospital nearby and that was a huge project. Astellas Pharma is another Power Construction job. It’s a three-year project that just started this year,” said Wendy.

But right now our only out is that we recycle our own stuff, so that is our little niche.” Associated with the U.S. Green Building Council, MBL Recycling provides all LEED documentation for its customers, generating environmental sustainability reports on a monthly basis.

The transition to ‘go green’ is something that is becoming a “really big thing with the general contractors…they love to recycle, especially with some of the locations around us,” said Wendy. “Hooray for Chicago because they mandate 50 per cent recycling of construction. It is wonderful that they recognize that.”
As such, in 2009, the Illinois Recycling Association recognized MBL Recycling as the Recycler of the Year.

Quality customer service

MBL Recycling prides itself on providing the best possible service to its customer base.

“Service is a big thing nowadays. People call and they want their stuff. It is not all about the pricing because at least when people call us they know we are going to be there,” said Robert.

“People are so thankful. You would be surprised at the phone calls—people go out of the way to call here and say something nice about one of our drivers, or for us being there in a pinch. Everyone gets the feedback and gets to feel good about things,” said Wendy. “We treat all of our customers the same—like gold.”

WWW.MBLRECYCLING.COM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv3M4zUsU5U&feature=player_embedded

It’s Easy Being Green!
CMRAMBL is committed to environmental best practices and sustainability. MBL diverts millions of pounds that would normally go to landfill in your C&D container. MBL is taking C&D recycling to the next level. Diverting waste from landfills, promoting reuse and recycling in our community.What is your Current C&D waste management plan?
Are your crews taking the time to separate each and every item and put them in separate containers for disposal?Illinois Recycling AssociationDo you have multiple containers to handle the variety of materials to be disposed?

Or are you already putting jobsite C&D debris mixed into one container?

MBL Recycling is ready to handle your C&D waste. Mix all C&D waste into one container. Do not incur the extra time and cost of separating materials yourself. No need for extra job crew training: just explain you will be recycling.

DumpsterJust direct ALL your C&D materials to MBL!
MBL will take your C&D container and separate the recyclable materials for you. On average 75% of every C&D container is recycled. Allow us to recycle your construction and demolition debris, diverting tons of material from landfills.

The Green TeamAn alliance of professional environmentalists working to promote greener solutions. Find us atwww.thegreenteamchicago.com.

Wild Colorado: Even fish aren’t safe from fire

Posted on by david
Wild Colorado: Even fish aren’t safe from fire
Trout would be most affected by wildfire
By Paige Blankenbuehler
Summit Daily News
Heavy equipment operators with Colorado Parks and Wildlife move large boulders to improve fish habitat in the Conejos River in 2010. Improving habitat helps fish weather future fires.

Heavy equipment operators with Colorado Parks and Wildlife move large boulders to improve fish habitat in the Conejos River in 2010. Improving habitat helps fish weather future fires.
Special to the Daily / Josh Nehrig, CPW
Fish are the last species one would think of being devastated by fire; seemingly in the clear from the flames and sparks by being submerged in water. But Randy Hampton, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife tells me that is not so. In fact, fish — namely Summit County’s trout — would be the species most affected by wildfire.See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

Fortunately, Summit County has remained largely unscathed so far in this dry year’s fire season. Knock on wood, and pray for your favorite local trout.

The most prevalent fish species in Summit County are trout, and their varieties are plentiful. Summit County is home to brown, cutthroat, rainbow, and brook trout.

“The biggest concern is the cutthroat trout, because it is a protected species and the state fish,” Hampton said.

Fire retardants

In areas affected by fire, techniques used by firefighters can have adverse effects for fish. The red liquid dumped by air tankers and helicopters is a fire retardant known as slurry, a mixture of mostly water and fertilizer designed to protect trees and other flammable material from flames.

The coating clings to vegetation and insulates it from the approaching flames; the fertilizer helps the damaged areas regrow in the wake of the blaze.

Though the retardant is good for the soil, when it enters into streams it can kill fish. 

“In high enough quantities, slurry can hurt fish populations,” Hampton said. “Anything that is not water that is introduced is not good for fish.”

When fish ingest large quantities of slurry, they are essentially being poisoned.

Ash and sediment buildup

When fire comes close to fish populations, they also battle the adverse effects of ash, which creates sediment and can clog gills of fish.

“When this happens, fish basically suffocate,” Hampton said.

This effect can extend into the long term as well, negatively affecting fish populations.

“The Hayman fire of 2002 deposited extra sediment into the rivers for as long as three years,” Hampton said.

Much of the residue remains in the air, and rain can also deposit ash and higher amounts of sediment into rivers for an extended period of time.

In areas near the Hayman fire, it has taken 10 years to reach a full recovery of fish populations, Hampton said.

Sediment and ash build-up also affect the areas where fish lay their eggs and areas that serve as insect breeding grounds.

“Sediments tend to smooth out riverbeds and can cement-in little gaps where fish and insect reproduce,” Hampton said. “In those areas, eggs will no longer hatch.”

Bug populations

The heat and sediment build-up tend to affect aquatic insects first and can more easily devastate those populations that serve as a food source for fish.

“If fire impairs a waterway, it can wipe out the food source for fish,” Hampton said.

Sometimes the ash and sediment accumulation effects are so adverse that intervention is needed to restore fish populations.

“Essentially, rivers and reservoirs affected by ash and sediment build-up have to be vacuumed out,” Hampton said.

Protecting water sources and fish populations

In fire seasons, moderation of fish populations is a top priority for local aquatic biologists. When fish populations are low, biologists moderate by replenishing the species by introducing more into the habitat.

The fish health of rivers, streams and reservoirs are moderated to account for areas that may have been adverse affected by fires and ash deposition into the water.

Waters that can support fish life are deemed healthy.

Local aquatic biologists test fish health by using electro-fishing techniques, which stuns fish temporarily. When they float to the surface, biologists can then evaluate their health.

No interventions have been required in areas that have had wildfire this year, Hampton said.

“We’ve been lucky,” he said.

The Blue River is currently being moderated for fish health to prepare for intervention if a fire occurs. The outlook is good.

“The Blue River is a healthy habitat for trout with a large population, likely to rehab quickly from fire,” Hampton said.

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