Stinking Quarter Mitigation Site Improves Aquatic & Terrestrial Habitat

The Stinking Quarter Mitigation Site encompasses 107.6 acres of historical agricultural land in Guilford County, North Carolina. The site is situated along North Prong Stinking Quarter Creek and 18 of its unnamed tributaries, totaling 24,685 linear feet. These features had become severely degraded over decades of unrestricted cattle activity, farming, and silviculture activities. Once completed, the site’s restoration and enhancement activities will result in quantifiable improvements to the system's functionality. This work will provide compensation mitigation credits for the state of North Carolina. 

The Challenge

Stinking Quarter included 22,450 linear feet of degraded stream channels, 24.284 acres of degraded wetlands, and 25.421 acres of drained and impacted hydric soils (historical wetlands). Fourteen individual fee-simple tracks with eight separate landowners comprise the footprint of the project.

Through a full-delivery contract with the state of North Carolina, Davey Mitigation secured a permanent conservation easement over the site and began developing a detailed mitigation plan to address the degraded natural resources.

The Solution

Davey Mitigation began construction in the Fall of 2024. Construction activities were completed in June of 2025. In the Winter and Spring of 2025, Davey Mitigation planted over 75,000 individual trees and spread more than 100 pounds of native seeds, focusing on diversity, pollinator benefits, and stabilization. Vegetation restoration efforts will continue through 2025, and monitoring of the site will begin in 2026, lasting for seven years.

The Results

The Davey Mitigation team is currently collecting as-built data for comparison against design and engineering specifications and documented vegetation establishment. State and other third parties are conducting post-restoration surveys of terrestrial and aquatic species to compare them with pre-restoration data. The Davey Mitigation team will submit yearly monitoring reports beginning in 2026, ensuring the site meets its goals and objectives. 

With physical wetland and stream restoration efforts complete, Davey Mitigation expects native wildlife and fish to return to the affected areas.