THREATENED & ENDANGERED SPECIES
DuBois and Associates personnel specialize in the assessment, study, surveying, and recording of threatened and endangered species throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Potential development areas often lie within threatened and endangered species habitat, which may result in a significant amount of study and planning in order for development to continue.
THREATENED & ENDANGERED SPECIES
Potential development areas that contain documentation of threatened or endangered species often are located within the jurisdiction of Federal, state and/or local governing agencies that contain regulations pertaining to the protection of threatened and endangered species habitat. Applicants for development projects must demonstrate consistency with threatened and endangered species protection standards which may result in a significant amount of study, planning and management in order for development to continue.
DuBois and Associates specializes in the assessment, study, surveying, and recording of threatened and endangered species throughout the mid-Atlantic region. DuBois and Associates has conducted over 700 threatened or endangered species studies in the past 20 years on numerous protected floral and faunal species.
Knowing which areas may or may not support protected species and ensuring that occupied habitats can sustain a population of threatened and endangered species is a significant step in the planning process of a potential development site.
The initial task in the regulatory process is determining which threatened or endangered species may be present in an area according to background habitat mapping and available sighting documentation information. Based on this information a Phase I habitat suitability assessment is conducted to determine if suitable habitat for the target species is present on or within the vicinity of a potential development site. If suitable habitat is absent, a project proponent is typically finished with the threatened and endangered species regulatory process. If suitable habitat is present, and direct development impacts cannot be avoided, the next step is typically a Phase II presence/absence survey to determine if the species of interest is inhabiting the site or immediate vicinity. Phase III, population monitoring, may be necessary if threatened or endangered species are documented on a site as a result of a Phase II study.
DuBois and Associates are experts in the various methods of scientifically-sound inventory and monitoring techniques for various taxa. Staff biologists have performed numerous herpetological, avian and floral surveys throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Depending on results of each step in the regulatory process, DuBois and Associates works with regulating agencies to accomplish the need for rare species protection while achieving reasonable economic use of a property. This may involve identification of habitat management and conservation measures.