Colin Wilkinson

Consulting Ecologist

Bio
Relevant Experience
Education & Credentials

Bio

Mr. Colin Wilkinson is a consulting ecologist and project manager in Integral’s San Joaquin Valley office. With more than 15 years of experience, he has expertise in plant ecology, with additional training in wildlife, avian, and other species of California’s San Joaquin Valley, Sierra foothills and mountains, and Central Coast. He has classified and mapped vegetation communities and performed wetland delineations throughout much of central California. He has also participated in identifying and studying long-term vegetative trends and productivity in alkali scrub and valley grassland communities in the southern and western San Joaquin Valley.

Mr. Wilkinson has participated in protocol surveys for the spotted owl and great gray owl, and surveys and assessments for the burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, and golden eagle. He has conducted surveys and assessments for the giant kangaroo rat (GKR), Tipton kangaroo rat (TKR), San Joaquin antelope squirrel (SJAS), San Joaquin kit fox (SJKF), American badger, western spadefoot, blunt-nosed leopard lizard (BNLL), California red-legged frog, and California tiger salamander (CTS). He has spent hundreds of hours trapping small mammals, such as for the Fresno kangaroo rat and Buena Vista Lake shrew, and can independently trap for a number of endangered species, including GKR and TKR

Prior to joining Integral Consulting, Mr. Wilkinson was a senior plant ecologist and project manager at H. T. Harvey & Associates where he worked for more than 15 years.

Relevant Experience

Transportation

California High-speed Rail Environmental Services (Fresno-Bakersfield Section), Fresno, Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties, California — Assisted in California tiger salamander capture and relocation under supervision of designated biologist. Assisted in burrow excavation for Tipton kangaroo rat and San Joaquin antelope squirrels under supervision of designated biologist.

California Department of Transportation District 6 and 10 Environmental Generalist Services, Multiple Counties, California — Performed construction monitoring and natural resource assessments, including small mammal trapping, spotlighting surveys for San Joaquin kit fox, surveys for burrowing owls, bat roosts, special-status plants, nesting raptors, blunt-nose leopard lizard, and San Joaquin antelope squirrel on projects covering a third of the state from the eastern Sierra Nevada to the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Route 5 Vehicle Detection System Installation Project, Kern, Kings, and Fresno Counties, California — As a designated biologist, conducted protocol-level trapping surveys for the endangered giant kangaroo rat and Fresno kangaroo rat along 10 miles of I-5 in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

State Route 43/Whitley Avenue Interchange Biological Services, Corcoran, California — As designated biologist and construction monitor provided preconstruction surveys for San Joaquin kit fox and Swainson’s hawk and performed construction monitoring of interchange project in Kings County. Monitored an active Swainson’s hawk nest before and during 3 weeks of construction and delivered worker environmental awareness training to prevent impacts on the hawk nest and other wildlife species.

Route 5 Vehicle Detection System Installation Project: Small Animal Trapping, Kern, Kings, and Fresno Counties, California — Conducted protocol-level trapping surveys for the endangered giant kangaroo rat and Fresno kangaroo rat along 10 miles of I-5 in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Kern 43 Shoulder Widening Project, Kern County, California — Designated biologist for a highway improvement project on SR 43. Conducted trapping surveys for special-status kangaroo rats and performed targeted surveys for special-status plants, burrowing owls, blunt-nosed leopard lizards, San Joaquin antelope squirrels and spotlighting for San Joaquin kit fox.

Solar

Azalea Hybrid Power Project, Kern County, California — Performed preconstruction and protocol surveys for Crotch’s bumble bee, rare plant, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard; and conducted small mammal trapping for giant kangaroo rat.

California Valley Solar Ranch, San Luis Obispo County, California — Conducted rare plant and wildlife surveys and monitoring of construction, wetlands, and stream crossings at a photovoltaic power plant in the Carrizo Plain. Identified rare plants and assessed habitat for these species as lead taxonomist. Assisted with the delineation of jurisdictional features. Also served as Designated Biologist during construction, and currently during operations. Surveyed the project site and conservation lands prior to construction. Conducted preconstruction surveys and monitor during ground-disturbance (excavation, mowing of vegetation) and washing of panels during operations. Trap for giant kangaroo rat and San Joaquin antelope squirrel as needed.

Pelican’s Jaw Hybrid Solar Site: Land Management Assistance, Kern County, California — Conducted a reconnaissance survey for special-status species, including San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, giant kangaroo rat, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard. H. T. Harvey serves as the long-term land manager for over 4,000 acres of mitigation and conservation lands established for the project.

California Department of Water Resources Pearblossom Solar Project Pre-Construction Support, Los Angeles County, California — As a wildlife and plant ecologist, performed construction monitoring and implementation of avoidance measures at the solar site. The team’s work included CEQA and NEPA documentation and compliance, CDFW and USFWS agency consultation in Ventura County regarding desert tortoise, and protocol surveys for Mohave ground squirrel.

Rosamond Central Solar Project, Kern County, California — Conducted preconstruction surveys and desert kit fox surveys. Key wildlife issues included preconstruction surveys and monitoring for desert kit fox, burrowing owls, and breeding birds. Development involved the passive eviction of burrowing owls and kit fox den monitoring and closure.

Alamo Springs Solar Project, Kings County, California — Led and participated in protocol-level surveys for blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Conducted survey for giant kangaroo rat burrows followed by 3 weeks of trapping for an approximately 130 megawatt photovoltaic and storage facility.

Wildwood Solar II Kangaroo Rat Trapping Study, Kern County, California — Conducted a trapping survey to determine species of kangaroo rat on the project site. As a Tipton kangaroo rat was captured, a second trapping survey was conducted to identify the locations of Tipton kangaroo rat burrows. Flagged and mapped all burrows where Tipton kangaroo rat were captured so the area could be fenced and avoided.

Quinto Solar Photovoltaic Project, Merced County, California — Performed construction monitoring and implementation of avoidance measures for work occurring in or immediately adjacent to wetlands, including construction of a jump bridge, bridge, ford-bridges or Arizona crossings, stream diversions, and levee repair and reinforcement for the project. Assisted with the delineation of jurisdictional features.

Wildlife Surveys

Lost Hills Rubber Rehabilitation Project: Biological Assessment, Kings County, California — Performed protocol-level surveys for blunt-nosed leopard lizards, spotlighting surveys for the endangered San Joaquin kit fox, and preconstruction small mammal trapping surveys for sensitive kangaroo rat species and assisted in spotlighting surveys for the San Joaquin kit fox for a segment of 13 miles.

Steffens Pond Habitat Assessment, Mendota, California — Performed protocol-level surveys for blunt-nosed leopard lizard and surveys for sensitive species. The client was in the process of closing the former process water ponds, an approximately 128-acre area that consists of 43-acres of clay-lined ponds and 85-acres of unlined pond.

University Vista Project, Merced, California — Conducted rare plant and Crotch’s bumble bee surveys. Observed numerous rare plant populations and several Crotch’s bumble bees. A proposed project for a mixed-use community to support the University of California, Merced Campus and the surrounding City of Merced required a focused rare plant survey. H. T. Harvey conducted surveys to follow up on a prior evaluation to provide additional information on rare plant occurrences across the project site.

Austin Quarry California Tiger Salamander Biological Monitoring and Support, Madera, California — Served as designated biologist performing wildlife exclusion fence checks, burrow excavations, and relocation of California tiger salamander. Also performed preconstruction surveys, construction monitoring, and implementation of avoidance measures.

Education & Credentials

Highlights

More than 15 years of experience

Special-status plant surveys

Plant ecology

Habitat assessments

Vegetation mapping, qualitative and quantitative plant sampling

Vernal pool mapping

Wetland delineations

Special-status wildlife surveys, including for California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, western pond turtle, San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, giant and Tipton kangaroo rats, burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, and valley elderberry longhorn beetle

CEQA/NEPA document preparation

Education & Credentials

B.S., Biology (Ecology and Evolution), University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 2006

Permits and Licenses

California Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Plant Voucher Collecting Permit

10(a)(1)(A) permit, Fresno, Tipton, and giant kangaroo rats

California Scientific Collecting Permit for capture and release of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and freshwater fishes

Level II surveyor for blunt-nosed leopard lizard

Professional Experience

Senior ecologist 1, H. T. Harvey & Associates, 2010–July 2026

Botanist/biologist, Stanislaus-Endangered Species Recovery Program, California State University, Stanislaus, 2007–2010

Biologist, Pacific Southwest Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, 2003

Biologist, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Millerton Lake, 2003

Botanist/biologist, Sequoia Riverlands Trust, 2003

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