Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
drawings (e.g., plans that were 50 percent complete). When permits from multiple agencies are
required, the amount of time to work out conflicting differences in the imposed requirements can
be considerable.
Typically, certain aspects of construction and installation require the direct involvement
of someone who holds a license to perform the work; however, this requirement is not always
followed for projects on nonprofit and private lands. Construction requiring the movement
of a significant amount of earth using heavy equipment generally requires a grading con-
tractor. The construction of engineered structures (e.g., permanent water control structures)
generally requires the involvement of a general contractor, whereas a landscape contractor
can construct certain small structures (e.g., pathways, low retaining walls, small observation
platforms). The installation and maintenance of container-grown plant materials may require
the involvement of a landscape contractor in jurisdictions that require contractor licenses.
Installing certain types of irrigation systems also typically requires the involvement of a land-
scape architect, a landscape contractor, or an irrigation contractor. Applying herbicides to
control weeds and to kill invasive plants requires that the individual prescribing and applying
the herbicide must be a licensed pesticide/herbicide applicator. Independent contractors who
bid on public restoration project work are almost always licensed or registered in the state in
which they operate.
Most design-build contractors have someone on staff who holds the appropriate license or
registration, typically a licensed civil engineer, a registered landscape architect, or a licensed land-
scape contractor. Sometimes, conservation or land trust organizations and private landowners per-
form limited site preparation work and install plant materials and aboveground irrigation systems
with the help of farmers using agricultural equipment, which generally avoids the licensing issue.
River, stream, and creek restoration projects typically require the involvement of a hydrologist,
who is commonly also a licensed civil engineer.
Scheduling and Procurement
For most restoration projects, a myriad of activities need to be coordinated, sometimes in a lock-
step manner. In chapter 2, we discussed the creation of a project schedule and the use of Gantt
charts displaying the start and finish dates for each activity. At this point in your project, however,
you will want to prepare a more detailed schedule of activities.
Factors that can force scheduling changes include the weather, the availability of labor and
equipment, lack of funds, and delays in the issuance of permits. Slippage in a schedule can
run up against governmental restrictions on the time of the year when certain work can be
performed (e.g., grading and erosion control), which can potentially delay project completion.
It may take you a long time to procure materials, tools, equipment, and labor. You may have
preordered contract-grown plant materials from a native plant nursery. If so, are you prepared
if the order is incomplete (box 10-1)? You may also have collected or ordered seeds and other
propagules. It may be necessary to establish a temporary nursery for the storage of plant materials
prior to installation.
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