---
title: Black Dirt | Conservation Mitigation Easement | Unique Places to Save
description: The Black Dirt Conservation Mitigation Easement is a project in NC aimed at enhancing water quality & restoring the riparian area in the Neuse River Basin
image: https://uniqueplacestosave.org/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/IMG_0638.jpg
---
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# Black Dirt | Conservation Mitigation Easement
Michael Scisco - February 2024
### Total Acres
28.3
### Project Year
2022
##### Located in the Neuse River Basin of Wayne County NC
[](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/our-values#badge)The major goals of the Black Dirt Conservation Mitigation Easement proposed buffer mitigation and nutrient offset project are to provide ecological and water quality enhancements to the Neuse River Basin by restoring the riparian area to create a functional riparian corridor through activities including:
- decrease nutrient levels,
- decrease sediment input,
- decrease water temperature, and
- create diffuse-flow discharge throughout the riparian area.
Black Dirt protects 28.3 acres in the Neuse River Basin, under easement since 2022, with Wildlands Engineering carrying out the buffer and nutrient offset work. The restored riparian corridor sits between the surrounding land and the stream, where it holds back nutrients and sediment and helps keep the water cool. Unique Places to Save holds the easement as grantee, so that corridor stays protected permanently.
##### Mitigation Partner
Our Role
### Conservation Easement Grantee
Mitigation Type
### Nutrient Offset & Buffer
- 
- 
- 
- 
About the Author
Michael brings nearly 20 years of experience to his role as Trusted Conservation Advisor at Unique Places to Save. He has worked to conserve over 200,000 acres across the U.S. while securing over $200M in funding and transacting $500M in land and other real estate.
[Learn More](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/michael-scisco-conservation-expert)
#### We are a trusted non-profit partner for mitigation banks seeking high-quality conservation projects
[Learn More](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/conservation-mitigation)
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Michael Scisco, September 2026
### [What Happens After a Mitigation Bank is Complete?](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/mitigation-bank-long-term-management)
Regulatory closeout is a major milestone for a mitigation bank. It confirms that the required restoration or enhancement work has been completed, performance standards have been met, and the formal monitoring and maintenance period can end....
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Mandi Taylor, September 2026
### [The Impossibility of Capturing Nature in a PDF](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/baseline-documentation-report)
Every profession has the gap between what the job looks like on paper and what actually happens on the ground. In land conservation, that divide can be neatly summarized by one specific, legal document: the Baseline Documentation Report (BD...
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Mandi Taylor, September 2026
### [Behind the Scenes of Land Stewardship](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/what-does-a-land-steward-do)
When people think of land conservation wins, they usually picture all the work and coordination required to place land with rich ecological, historical, or cultural value into a conservation easement. And they are right to celebrate those e...
[Mitigation Banking](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/mitigation-banking), [North Carolina](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/north-carolina), [Projects](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/tag/projects)
Sam Warnock, August 2026
### [The River That Built a Town: Ramseur’s Past Shapes Future Conservation (Part Two)](https://uniqueplacestosave.org/news/the-river-that-built-a-town-ramseurs-past-shapes-future-conservation-part-two)
This is the second installment in a two-part series on the Deep River restoration project in Ramseur, North Carolina. For this series, I sat down with Mayor Hampton Spivey and Town Clerk Carol Akers to hear how growing up alongside the Deep...
[](https://app.candid.org/profile/9341350/unique-places-to-save-46-2076094/?pkId=e9b6f29d-825a-42e5-88cd-e7520d3fe801)
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