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Environmental Consulting

Our environmental professionals help clients plan, permit, design, and construct and projects that improve communities' infrastructure and natural resources. Our project managers work collaboratively with clients to fully understand project goals and constraints, then develop the most practical technical, regulatory, and economically viable project alternatives. We stay focused on keeping projects moving forward through planning, analysis, development, and implementation.

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Services

Studies

We carry out detailed investigations and analyses to evaluate particular questions or test certain hypotheses. Representative types of studies include investigating whether (1) assumptions about project-related impacts adequately predict actual impacts, (2) avoidance and minimization measures adequately protect biological resources, (3) survey or monitoring methods adequately capture appropriate and sufficient data, and (4) whether oil spills may have resulted in population-level effects on biological resources.

Survey

PRE-CONSTRUCTION SURVEYS

Biological surveys performed before construction or other activities to comply with permit conditions, mitigation measures, or conditions of approval.

NESTING BIRD SURVEYS

Surveys performed to identify the location and status of any active bird nest on or near a project site.

ROOSTING BAT SURVEYS

Surveys conducted to locate any bat roost, determine its status, and identify its occupants.

FLORAL AND FAUNAL INVENTORY SURVEYS

Focused surveys performed to catalog the plants and animals of a property or area.

NONNATIVE PLANT SURVEYS

Focused surveys performed to document the presence and distribution of nonnative plants, especially invasive species.

SPECIAL-STATUS SPECIES SURVEYS

Protocol-level surveys used to determine presence, distribution, and/or abundance of plant or animal species listed under the federal or state Endangered Species Act or otherwise designated by federal or state agencies or conservation organizations as rare, threatened, or endangered.

Monitoring

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE MONITORING

Monitoring of construction or other activities to ensure effects to sensitive biological resources are avoided or minimized in compliance with permit conditions, mitigation measures, or conditions of approval; includes presentation of environmental awareness training.

REMOTE CAMERA MONITORING

Monitoring using remote, infrared cameras to document the use of an area by mammals or other animals.

HABITAT MONITORING

Monitoring habitat using residual dry matter, percent vegetative cover, percent canopy cover, and other metrics in compliance with mitigation monitoring plans or habitat management plans.

SPECIES POPULATION MONITORING

Monitoring populations of plants or animals to provide a framework for making informed management decisions.

Assessment

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE EVALUATIONS

Reconnaissance-level assessments used to document baseline biological conditions, identify biological constraints, evaluate project impacts, assess project alternatives, and identify avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures. Often performed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS

Assessments conducted on behalf of a federal agency to document the effects of a proposed action on species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

WETLAND DETERMINATIONS AND DELINEATIONS

Site assessments using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers three-parameter approach to determine if wetlands are present and, if present, delineating their boundaries relative to non-wetlands, property boundaries, and project footprints.

CONSERVATION VALUE ASSESSMENTS

Assessments of a property’s special-status biological resources and potential to provide mitigation or compensation for offsite impacts under a conservation easement.

ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS

Assessments that evaluate the likelihood that alternative actions may have adverse ecological effects, estimate the type and severity of those effects, and ultimately provide a systematic approach to aid those who must male decisions in the face of uncertainty.

PEER REVIEW

Critical assessments of biological resource sections of environmental compliance documents, natural resource management plans, habitat conservation plans, and other documents and reports to evaluate validity of information and analysis.

Planning

HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS

Regional or project plans developed on behalf of a non-federal entity pursuant to Section 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act.

NATURAL COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PLANS

Regional plans developed pursuant to the Natural Community Conservation Planning Act (Fish and Game Code Section 2800 et seq.).

HABITAT CREATION, RESTORATION, AND ENHANCEMENT PLANS

Plans developed to guide activities to create, restore, or enhance habitat for plants and wildlife.

MITIGATION MONITORING PLANS

Plans developed to identify actions and success criteria for compensatory mitigation for impacts to wetlands pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean water Act.

SPECIES PROTECTION, CONSERVATION, OR MONITORING PLANS

Plans developed to protect, conserve, or monitor special-status species.

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS

Plans developed pursuant to the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a-670f, as amended) that identify specific actions and strategies needed to protect biological resources on U.S. Department of Defense lands.

HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLANS

Plans developed to guide activities needed to manage habitat for plants and wildlife.

WEED MANAGEMENT PLANS

Plans that identify methods and strategies for managing invasive plant species.

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Special-status species surveys

 - Protocol-level species surveys

 - Habitat and vegetation mapping

 - Pre-construction surveys

 - Documentation and report prep

 - Regulatory agency consultation

 - HCP implementation

 - Construction compliance monitoring

 - Regulatory compliance monitoring

 - Mitigation monitoring

 - Biological compliance training

 - Environmental education training

 - Nesting Bird Surveys

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Natural Resources Management

We help clients balance the preservation and stewardship of  natural resources with local communities' growth and infrastructure development needs.

It is a creative challenge to get it right, which motivates our staff of biologists, botantists, planners, urban foresters, native habitat experts, archeologists, wildfire prevention specialists, and other enviornmental professionals.

We have put our expertise to work to design, permit, and build hundreds of natural resource management projects,  ranging from mutliple species habitat conservation plans covering thousands of acres to resotring and protecting a few acres of wetlands. 

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Biological Monitoring & Permitting

Our biologists, environmental planners and habitat restoration experts effectively determine each project’s survey requirements and manage a project’s planning, design, permitting and construction management phases.

Watch our 4-minute video with tips about what landowners should consider when a biology survey is needed.

We have completed hundreds of biological monitoring projects in all of California’s diverse habitat types  on projects ranging from small parcels to ownerships of 30,000+ acres. Our experience translates into the highest quality and accurate biological resources mapping and documentation. We employ state-of-the-art field collection and GIS mapping for all projects.

We offer highly educated, trained and experienced scientists in botany, mammalogy, herpetology, entomology, ornithology, spatial analysis, and habitat and wetlands restoration. We have state and federal permits for surveying, banding and trapping California’s threatened and endangered species.

Services include:

  • Biological monitoring

  • Vegetation/natural communities mapping

  • General botanical and wildlife surveys

  • Focused species surveys

  • Wildlife corridor studies

  • Wetlands delineations

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Native Habitat Design & Restoration

We assist clients with implementing required habitat restoration and management programs to offset biological impacts of their construction projects.

Our licensed landscape architects are specialists in native habitat design and restoration who integrate into project plans their expertise in plant ecology, biology and conservation planning, ecological restoration, landscape architecture, hydrogeology and horticulture.

We have an outstanding record of success in designing and implementing habitat restoration plans that are integrated with project-specific construction complexities while at the same time meeting regulatory agency requirements.

Our native habitat landscape contracting subsidiary, Habitat Restoration Sciences (HRS), provides our clients turn-key planning, design, installation and monitoring services. Dudek’s landscape architects and HRS’ contractors work together to ensure that plans meet success criteria and achieve regulatory sign-off for our clients.

Services include:

  • Biological monitoring

  • Biological resources evaluations

  • Conceptual mitigation plan preparation for wetlands, uplands, and sensitive plant and wildlife habitat

  • Construction and long-term performance monitoring

  • Habitat mitigation feasibility assessments

  • Habitat restoration construction document preparation (grading, irrigation, and plant installation plans and specifications)

  • Open space management

  • Pest control consultation

  • Revegetation master planning with GIS interactive database

  • Water quality monitoring

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Regional Habitat Conservation Planning

We have played a key role in regional habitat conservation planning efforts since 1991 when the state enacted the Natural Communities Conservation Planning (NCCP) Act and pioneered state-level natural community conservation planning.

We have been responsible for successful planning, permitting and implementing regional habitat conservation plans covering more than 2 million acres in California.

NCCPs—standing alone or coupled with federal Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)—are an innovative effort to balance preservation and stewardship of the state’s natural heritage with its growth, development and infrastructure needs.

A hallmark of this complex work is balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders to achieve a plan that is technically accurate, can be practically implemented by local and state permittees, and meets the criteria for permit issuance.

We provide clients complete expertise in natural resources management, GIS and environmental planning for successful regional habitat conservation planning.

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Wetlands Restoration & Delineation

In California, as elsewhere in the United States, project activities affecting wetlands and stream channels are highly regulated. Wetlands provide complex functions and values needed for healthy natural systems serving as habitat for breeding, feeding and sheltering numerous wildlife species, flood protection and maintenance of water quality.

We offer the full range of expertise needed to evaluate impacts, obtain regulatory permits, implement and manage wetland restoration, all with the goal of improving and sustaining these vital resources.

Specialized expertise includes:

  • Jurisdictional wetlands delineations

  • California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) and other functional assessments

  • Endangered species surveys

  • Restoration planning and landscape architecture

  • Preparation of wetlands permit applications

  • Facilitating wetlands permit processing

  • Managing wetlands permit compliance

  • Mitigation bank development/processing

Our wetlands ecologists can address particularly complex water resource relationships. These services include:

  • Hydraulic/sediment transport modeling

  • Stormwater management plans preparation and monitoring

  • Low Impact Development (LID) design

  • Water quality testing plans, implementation and analysis

  • Surface water and ground water modeling

  • Ecological risk assessment

  • Water conservation planning

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Environmental Planning & Permitting

By 2020, California is expected to have 43 million residents drawing upon the state's infrastructure for clean water, safe and reliable transportation, sufficient energy supplies as well as protected natural resources, schools, and housing.

California is a complex place in which to design, permit, and build both public infrastructure and private development. The state has the nation's most stringent regulatory requirements, a concerned environmental citizenry, and multiple -- often overlapping -- political jurisdictions.

For the past 25 years, we have successfully provided environmental planning and permitting services for every type of public infrastructure and private development project throughout California.  We specialize in understandings California's unique environmental complexities and have developed multi-disciplined teams of professionals to get difficult projects approved and built throughout the state.

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CEQA/NEPA

We have more than 30 years’ experience successfully preparing and processing California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, often for high-profile, controversial projects.

Our environmental planners, scientists and engineers provide a full range of CEQA/NEPA compliance services for water/wastewater infrastructure, schools, hospitals, public and private infrastructure, traditional and renewable energy, large land development/entitlement, and regional planning.

We manage and assist with public participation programs, public noticing, public hearings and final determination. In-house technical support specialists ensure comprehensive analysis of environmental issues, including:

  • Land use planning

  • Coastal zone consistency

  • Biological and cultural resources

  • Acoustics

  • Air quality

  • Aesthetics and visual simulations

  • Socioeconomics

  • Hydrology and water quality

  • Geology and hazardous materials

  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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Regulatory Compliance

California has a unique, complex regulatory environment with overlapping and often conflicting local, state and federal regulatory requirements. Sometimes, well-designed and successfully entitled projects are never constructed because applicants are unable to navigate California’s regulatory processes and permits are not obtained.

We specialize in helping clients through California’s regulatory process. Our record of successful permitting efforts ranges from single-permit projects to sophisticated projects involving complex permitting work plans.

We appropriately combine technical excellence, valued relationships with the regulatory agencies and permitting know-how to assist our clients in timely acquisition of permits. 
We work with our clients to understand project-specific goals and ensure that permit 
conditions are practical, feasible and consistent.

Just a few of our landmark projects include the United States’ largest seawater desalination plant with an ocean outfall; a number of major master-planned communities in sensitive natural areas; and many of Southern California’s regional-scale habitat conservation plans.

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