Community Landscape Project

Alliance Landfill received approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to conduct a demonstration landscape project in 2004. The project required a major permit modification and is a scientifically designed experiment to determine if trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and meadow areas can be planted on a landfill cap without affecting the function of the cap or the stability of the landfill's completed slopes.

WM Alliance Landfill: Demonstration landscape project on capped area -- engineering design	WM Alliance Landfill Landscape Project: A view of part of the project area from Old Forge

Alliance and its contractors conducted extensive research on alternate landfill planting strategies. We found no comparable projects in North America. Research was uncovered on tree plantings conducted on closed landfills in Europe where designers succeeded in creating a natural appearance while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the landfills' clay caps. Planting began on Earth Day in 2004. Since that time our test plots have been growing and providing habitat to an increasing number of wildlife species.

Brian Kaufman addresses Alliance's Community Landscape Committee during one of the 2003 meetings. Information gathered at these meetings was included in major permit modification submitted to PADEP for approval of this demonstration project.