Wildlife and Habitat Assessment
Environmental clarity that accelerates smart development decisions.
Wildlife, botanical resources, and sensitive habitats are central considerations to responsible land and water use, yet often create planning and permitting challenges. Our multidisciplinary team of wildlife biologists, botanists, wetland scientists, restoration ecologists, and environmental scientists works together without internal barriers—collaborating with your engineers, hydrologists, and planners to deliver practical solutions that meet regulatory requirements and conservation goals.
Technical Leaders
Sadie McGarvey Senior Consultant – Practice Director, Permitting and Planning
Cameron Johnson Principal, Permitting and Planning
Valary K. Bloom Senior Consultant
Paula C. Gill, PWS Principal, Permitting and Planning
Featured Projects
Wildlife Monitoring Enhances Natural Resource Damage Assessment
Creating Mitigation Solutions Where Opportunities Were Limited
Forensic Wetland Delineation Resolves Regulatory Uncertainty at California Vineyard
Habitat and Protected Species Assessments
We provide comprehensive ecological inventories and habitat assessments that give you the clear picture you need for informed decision-making.
Our team conducts protocol-level surveys and applies innovative methods including eDNA sampling and bioacoustic analyses to deliver accurate, agency-accepted data that deliver a comprehensive understanding of site conditions and help streamline your permitting process.
Key Capabilities:
- Definitive species presence/absence data – Protocol surveys for California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, Western burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, nesting birds, bats, rare plants, and other special-status species using agency-approved methodologies
- Precise habitat mapping and classification – Vegetation community mapping using CNPS and CDFW classification systems to identify sensitive resources and management opportunities
- Natural capital valuation – Ecosystem services analysis that quantifies habitat benefits in terms that support your business objectives and regulatory compliance
- Baseline documentation you can trust – Comprehensive biological surveys that establish clear ecological conditions for permitting and long-term monitoring
Permitting and Regulatory Compliance
Our team includes former agency regulators from USACE, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and USFWS who understand what agencies need to see for successful permit approvals.
We translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, manageable pathways that keep your project moving forward.
Specialized Services:
- Streamlined agency consultations – Direct coordination with regulatory staff to develop suitable avoidance measures, relocation plans, and mitigation strategies before formal application submission
- Permittee-responsible mitigation planning – Development of conservation mitigation banks and restoration plans that satisfy regulatory requirements while maximizing ecological outcomes
- Endangered Species Act compliance – Biological resource analysis and assessments that navigate federal and state listing requirements with minimal project delays
- Construction monitoring and compliance – Real-time biological monitoring during construction phases with immediate field-fit recommendations to maintain compliance
- Restoration monitoring and compliance – Post restoration monitoring for success criteria, ongoing maintenance recommendations, and adaptive management
Understanding What You're Working With
We help you see your site through multiple ecological lenses, identifying opportunities to avoid impacts while achieving your project goals.
Our diverse team of biologists, botanists, wetland scientists, and restoration ecologists collaborates internally and externally—working directly with your engineers, hydrologists, planners, and land managers to develop solutions that work in the real world.
Strategic Approach:
- Multidisciplinary site evaluation – Integrated assessment of wildlife, botanical resources, wetlands, riparian areas, and upland habitats by specialists who work together to identify constraints and opportunities
- Collaborative project planning – Direct coordination between our ecologists and your design team to develop alternatives that minimize impacts while preserving project viability
- Restoration ecology expertise – Design and implementation support that turns mitigation requirements into ecological enhancement opportunities
- Long-term monitoring and adaptive management – Ecological monitoring programs informed by restoration ecology principles that demonstrate compliance and track habitat improvements over time
- Clear scientific communication – Translation of complex ecological data into actionable information that supports informed decision-making across technical and nontechnical audiences
FAQs
Our multidisciplinary team works as one without internal company barriers. Wildlife biologists, botanists, wetland scientists, restoration ecologists, planners, in-house engineers, and environmental scientists collaborate seamlessly on every project—and we extend that same collaborative approach to working with your team. This integrated perspective helps us identify practical solutions that other consultants might miss when working in silos.
We provide qualified biological monitors who understand both regulatory requirements and construction realities. Our team can make real-time field adjustments that maintain compliance while keeping your project on schedule. In addition, we track permit conditions in detail and maintain ongoing communication with project proponents and construction teams so that everyone is clear on compliance expectations.
This proactive approach ensures that requirements are not only met in the field but also properly documented, tracked, and reported to agencies, giving you confidence that compliance is consistently achieved and transparently demonstrated.
Our team has a deep knowledge of regulatory requirements and can quickly develop practical solutions that protect resources while preserving project viability. We collaborate with your design team to identify avoidance opportunities and work with agency staff when needed to design mitigation measures that satisfy requirements without unnecessarily constraining development.
We coordinate across all relevant agencies to ensure consistent approaches and avoid conflicting requirements. Our team maintains working relationships with federal, state, and local regulatory staff, allowing us to facilitate efficient multiagency coordination.
We offer short- and long-term ecological monitoring programs based on restoration ecology principles to demonstrate compliance and track habitat improvement over time. Our team provides ongoing maintenance recommendations and assists with adaptive management, giving clear guidance and reporting to ensure restoration success and agency approval at every stage.
A variety of local, state, and federal regulations may apply to the wildlife and habitats present at your project site. Our team collaborates closely with you and your consulting partners to thoroughly understand your project objectives, applicable regulations, and specific biological surveys that would be required to ensure compliance and meet project goals.
We actively collaborate with other environmental consultants across overlapping specialties to ensure comprehensive and cohesive project outcomes. We embrace a positive, team-oriented approach that values open communication and mutual respect. When conducting peer reviews of habitat or wildlife assessments prepared by other consultants, our goal is to ensure compliance, accuracy, and scientific rigor—not to generate unnecessary comments or revisions aimed at outshining the original team.