Through mitigation, the company agrees to provide land, wetlands, reforestation, or another form of benefit in return for the negative impacts their project has on surrounding resources. Sometimes land is donated where the mitigation is to occur, and other times publicly owned sites will be chosen for enhancement. Mitigation efforts can sometimes be directed to areas that extend, complete, or enhance greenway corridors. This can be particularly helpful for wildlife management or preservation of habitat. Many utilities are managing corridors for wildlife in certain areas, allowing shrubs and small trees to grow instead of clear cutting under power lines.
Some counties require new developments to include a specified percentage of open space.
By letting a developer know about a local greenway plan, areas that complement and expand the corridor can often be incorporated into the site plan for the new development. TDR programs help direct growth away from undeveloped regions and into areas that have infrastructure in place. Access to wildlands is permitted, but as with all units of the DNR lands system, the department may restrict access to certain areas if a resource is threatened, or for public safety reasons. Jump to the Maryland DNR Home Page .