The EnviroScience mussel team is hard at work as the 2022 mussel season is well-underway. Our malacologists are performing mussel surveys within the Mississippi River basin to the Atlantic Slope, and all the rivers in between.

EnviroScience is fortunate to have some of the best malacologists in the country, each of whom exemplify our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. Below are just a few of the many reasons we find them to be uniquely special and why we are honored to have them on our team (and these are only a handful of the members of our robust marine group!) The EnviroScience mussel team is also supported by two other phenomenal mussel biologists, Mr. Matt Gilkay (West Virginia and Ohio approved surveyor) and Dr. Marty Huehner. 

The end of mussel survey season in Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia quickly approaches. If you have a project with in-water work slated to start before July 2023, be sure to call us now to help get your project cleared for mussel resource issues prior to construction!

Becca Winterringer

ES Malacologist Becca Winterringer

Becca is federally permitted throughout much of the Interior Basin and Atlantic Slope drainages. She has handled over 100 of North America’s 300+ mussel species; and yet, the elusive salamander mussel remains on her watch list. This is her year! A senior biologist and project manager for EnviroScience, as well as a key member of the Corporate Responsibility Committee, Becca loves outreach and all the places mussel surveys take her in the country. According to Becca, “This is my year for my bucket list mussel: a salamander mussel.” 

Phil Mathias

ES Malacologist Phil Mathias

Phil enjoys his days in remote small creeks and rivers surveying for mussels, but also willingly accepts the challenges of managing large mussel surveys. He is a permitted malacologist throughout most of the Great Lakes and Ohio River drainages. The French Creek in Pennsylvania and the Kankakee River in Illinois are two of his favorite rivers in which to perform mussel work. As a senior scientist and project manager at EnviroScience, Phil supports our clients’ mussel service needs from private landowners; nonprofit organizations; local, state, and federal government agencies; and major international corporations.

Brian Carlson

ES Malacologist Brian Carlson

Like many folks who develop expertise in mussels, Brian is an “accidental” mussel expert. A man of many skills—from aquatic insects to mussels, fish, and crayfish, Brian manages and leads our Ohio and West Virginia mussel projects. He is federally permitted for Ohio River basin mussels as well as the Guyandotte and Big Sandy crayfish. Brian’s motto is “right-on,” and his favorite place to be (other than playing with his daughter) is face-to-face with the stream bottom looking at darters, mussel siphons, and crayfish.

Emily Grossman

ES Malacologist Emily Grossman

Emily is a federally permitted malacologist and project manager at EnviroScience, specializing in Upper Mississippi River mussel surveys. While she primarily spends her time on a boat leading big river survey teams, Emily also enjoys snorkeling for mussels in her free time in beautiful streams like those in northern Wisconsin. She looks forward to getting back on the mighty Mississippi this summer in locations from the Twin Cities all the way down to St. Louis, assisting clients with endangered species surveys and permitting issues.

Joanne Pem

ES “Marine Mom” Joanne Pem

Joanne began her journey with the Marine Services practice area at EnviroScience in 2013, and just completed the Project Management and Leadership training programs through Kent State University. Also known as the “Marine Mom,” she handles the internal functions that keep our Marine Services practice area efficient and running smoothly at all times. A consummate organizer and planner extraordinaire, Joanne enjoys the challenges the busy field season brings and looks forward to joining the crew in the field one day for a more hands-on approach.

Greg Zimmerman

ES VP & Malacologist Greg Zimmerman

Greg is a federally permitted malacologist throughout the eastern U.S. and an ADCI-certified commercial diver. As VP, he focuses on project management, business development, and health and safety. However, Greg still supports fieldwork and freshwater mussel research. He recently noted, “I like to mix things up…pre-mussel season, I performed coral reef monitoring in Guam, experiencing giant clams in the wild—a huge thrill. But I still love the challenge of freshwater mussel projects and working with our great staff.”  

Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. Our client guarantee is to provide “Excellence in Any Environment” meaning no matter what we do, we will deliver on our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today, as our scientists explore the latest in environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.

EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to: aquatic survey (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring);  emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.

EnviroScience proudly highlights our Nashville, Tennessee office and three of its many areas of expertise. Since opening in 2012, the office has continued to grow; we are always looking to add key personnel to enhance and increase our capabilities and capacity. Rooted in our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety, every EnviroScience office strives to provide high-quality, region-specific natural resource and environmental services. Our Tennessee office is no exception, offering top-notch expertise in services that include wetland delineation, hydrologic determination, threatened and endangered aquatic species surveys, and emergency response.

With over 30 years of experience managing complex projects, EnviroScience experts have a rich understanding and familiarity with environmental laws and regulations, as well as an outstanding reputation with these regulatory agencies. Because most of our employees have over ten years of experience in their respective fields, our team’s collective knowledge and diverse backgrounds—paired with state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge technologies—afford our clients innovative, cost-conscious solutions. We always put our clients’ needs first and only use necessary resources, allowing us to reliably complete projects on time and within or below budget.

Abiding by the same credo, our Tennessee office holds its assets and values to the same standard, carefully selecting highly specialized and capable employees when staffing and consistently delivering first-rate services. These practices are evidenced by the master service agreements we hold with clients in the transportation, energy, and manufacturing industries, as well as municipal, state, and federal agencies. 

TENNESSEE EXPERTISE: HYDROLOGIC DETERMINATION

Rivers and streams are abundant in the beautiful state of Tennessee; in fact, they traverse approximately 17,000 miles of the state. Most residential, commercial, and industrial site development projects inevitably encounter some form of watercourse due to their prevalence in the state.

To further protect these “waters of the state” under the Clean Water Act, Tennessee enacted laws to enhance the protection of these natural resources in 2009. Projects that involve or are nearby a watercourse may require a hydrologic determination. A state-qualified professional performs this scientific assessment to investigate, observe, and analyze several scientific variables to determine whether a watercourse carries flow for extended periods or only in direct response to precipitation.

EnviroScience conducts hydrologic determinations following the guidelines published by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Water Resources. These guidelines supplement the standard operating procedures established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for making stream and wet weather conveyance determinations under the Clean Water Act. Following these guidelines, hydrologic determinations consider biologic, hydrologic, geologic, geomorphologic, precipitation, and other scientifically based principles.

Hydrologic determinations by EnviroScience hydrologic professionals include reviewing current local precipitation patterns and longer-term seasonal precipitation trends; field evaluations; investigating historical land-use, regional geology, and soil types; observing varying seasonal ecological indicators such as in-stream flow; determining variability along watercourse lengths; multi-point channel inspections; identifying physiographic variances due primarily to climate and underlying geology, soils, and reliefs; and GPS coordination. The culminating findings allow our biologists to determine if watercourses carry flow for extended periods or only in direct response to precipitation. This information helps clients make informed decisions about applying for Aquatic Resources Alteration Permits (ARAP) or establishing avoidance measures when developing a site.

TENNESSEE EXPERTISE: SALAMANDERS 

Tennessee is a salamander biodiversity hotspot—home to over 50 species! In fact, around 10% of salamander species globally occur in the southern Appalachians.

Because they tend to thrive in moist forested areas, the presence or absence of salamanders can be used to help gauge habitat health and quality. Their absence in favorable environments can indicate poor water quality and stream health due to sedimentation, pollution, or unintentional habitat disruption.

Some government projects, as well as projects on land that falls under state or federal jurisdiction, require amphibian surveys to determine presence or absence—especially where a species is threatened or endangered. In Tennessee, EnviroScience herpetologists are closely monitoring the state-endangered Streamside salamander (Ambystoma barbouri) and its habitat, as protections are required under state law. Similarly, the unusually large river and stream-dwelling Hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is listed as an endangered species in Tennessee.

For nearly a decade, EnviroScience biologists in our Tennessee office have been providing amphibian surveys and habitat and impact assessments for wildlife of all kinds, including salamanders. Additionally, our restoration services crew has extensive experience restoring, improving, and naturalizing wetlands and streams. Before your next build or during a hiccup mid-build, protect your efforts by entrusting EnviroScience to assess and restore your construction site for salamanders.

TENNESSEE EXPERTISE: WETLAND DELINEATION

Proposed development projects in Tennessee and surrounding states that involve streams or wetlands may be subject to permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Food Security Act. Permits are regulated by federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as state and local agencies such as the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, and local water conservation districts.

EnviroScience biologists perform thousands of wetland assessments and delineations on projects ranging from less than one acre to over 6,000 acres. Our wetland scientists complete an average of 30 permit applications for wetland and stream impacts each year, including USACE nationwide permits; individual USACE 404 permits; Aquatic Resources Alteration Permit (ARAP); individual EPA 401 water quality certifications; state joint permits; state general permits; and isolated wetland permits for various clients in surrounding states. In-depth knowledge of the permitting process allows our scientists to tailor applications in a manner that often expedites the approval process. For projects that do not require permits or when impacts occur under a non-notification permit, EnviroScience employs a highly refined documentation process to clearly outline project details and support project compliance with state and federal regulations.

Before breaking ground on your next project, protect your efforts and the environment by entrusting EnviroScience to help safeguard your plans under applicable requirements and regulations. The biologists at our Tennessee office provide an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving you time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. Click here to learn more today!

Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. Our client guarantee is to provide “Excellence in Any Environment” meaning no matter what we do, we will deliver on our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today, as our scientists explore the latest in environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.

EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to: aquatic survey (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring);  emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.

EnviroScience proudly highlights our Morgantown, West Virginia office and two of its many areas of expertise. Since opening in 2019, the office has grown to seven full-time staff members. We are always looking to add key personnel to both enhance and increase our capabilities and capacity. Rooted in our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety, every EnviroScience office strives to provide high-quality, region-specific natural resource and environmental services. Our West Virginia office is no exception, offering top-notch expertise in services that include: wetland delineation; permitting; threatened and endangered freshwater mussels, crayfish, fish, and bats; environmental inspection; and surface and groundwater monitoring.

With over 30 years of experience managing complex projects, EnviroScience experts have a rich understanding and familiarity with environmental laws and regulations, as well as an outstanding reputation with these regulatory agencies. Because most of our employees have over ten years of experience in their respective fields, our team’s collective knowledge and diverse backgrounds—paired with our use of state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge technologies—afford our clients innovative, cost-conscious solutions. We always put our clients’ needs first and only use resources that are necessary, allowing us to reliably complete projects on-time and within or below budget.

Abiding by the same credo, our West Virginia office holds its assets and values to the same standard, carefully selecting high-specialized and capable employees when staffing and consistently delivering first-rate services. These practices are evidenced by the master service agreements we hold with clients in the transportation, energy, and manufacturing industries, as well as municipal, state, and federal agencies. 

WEST VIRGINIA EXPERTISE: ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION

Our West Virginia environmental inspectors mobilize rapidly, perform high-quality work, and tailor our services to meet our clients’ needs. We have the manpower, capacity, and fortitude to support multiple large-scale construction projects seven days a week. Due to the unpredictability that accompanies weather-related requirements associated with stormwater monitoring and construction oversight, our inspectors are accustomed to responding in the evening and on weekends or holidays to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit requirements or other essential functions relating to environmental compliance during construction.

Since 2008, EnviroScience environmental inspectors have performed inspections or provided environmental support on more than 1,000 projects. These projects range from obtaining construction national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permits for natural gas pipelines and preparation and implementation of site-specific stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPP.) Documentation required by the SWPPP or environmental agencies such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), public utilities commissions, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), departments of environmental protection, soil and water conservation districts, and other local entities is recorded on a daily, weekly, and/or monthly basis to maintain comprehensive environmental compliance logs.

WEST VIRGINIA EXPERTISE: WETLAND DELINEATION AND PERMITTING

Proposed development projects in West Virginia and surrounding states that involve streams or wetlands may be subject to permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Food Security Act. Permits are regulated by federal agencies such as the US Army Corps of Engineers and the USEPA, as well as state and local agencies such as the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, and local water conservation districts.

EnviroScience biologists perform thousands of wetland assessments and delineations on projects ranging in size from less than one acre to over 6,000 acres. Our wetland scientists complete an average of 30 permit applications for wetland and stream impacts each year, including: USACE nationwide permits; individual USACE 404 permits; individual EPA 401 water quality certifications; state joint permits; state general permits; and isolated wetland permits for various clients in surrounding states. In-depth knowledge of the permitting process allows our scientists to tailor applications in a manner that often expedites the approval process. For projects that do not require permits or when impacts occur under a non-notification permit, EnviroScience employs a highly refined documentation process to clearly outline project details and support project compliance with state and federal regulations.

Before breaking ground on your next project, protect your efforts and the environment by entrusting EnviroScience to help safeguard your plans in accordance with applicable requirements and regulations. The wetland scientists at our West Virginia office provide an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving you time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. Click here to learn more today!

Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. Our client guarantee is to provide “Excellence in Any Environment” meaning no matter what we do, we will deliver on our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today, as our scientists explore the latest in environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.

EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to: aquatic survey (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring);  emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.

On March 22, 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced a proposal to reclassify the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis; NLEB) from “threatened” to “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The change is a direct result of a January 28, 2020 ruling by a federal judge in favor of a lawsuit, Center for Biological Diversity v. Everson, that USFWS’s 2015 threatened listing of the NLEB did not adequately protect the species under the ESA. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, USFWS found that the NLEB meets the ESA’s definition of an endangered species and proposed uplisting its status accordingly.

The NLEB faces extinction due to the devastating impact of white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease that is decimating cave-dwelling bats and “has spread to approximately 80% of the species’ range and almost all of the U.S. range since it was listed as threatened in 2015 … and is expected to affect 100% of the northern long-eared bat’s U.S. range by 2025, spreading more quickly than anticipated across the continent.” Other factors influencing NLEB viability—though to a far lesser extent than the influence of WNS—include wind energy mortality, effects of climate change, and habitat loss.  

At the time of its initial proposed listing as threatened in 2014, the Center for Biological Diversity reported “Scientists have estimated that by eating agricultural pests such as corn earworms and coddling moths, bats save U.S. farmers $22.9 billion per year. The timber industry also benefits from the free pest control services of bats that eat spruce budworms, gypsy moths, and other forest pests.”

The proposed rule to uplist the NLEB from threatened to endangered was posted on the Federal Register on March 23, 2022, and public comments may be submitted through May 23, 2022. A final decision is expected in November 2022.

Transportation projects covered under various programmatic consultations will not be impacted by the reclassification provided they are completed by the end of the year. Biologists strongly encourage mist-net surveys proposed for the 2022 summer survey season to include radiotelemetry on NLEB. EnviroScience bat biologists routinely conduct both acoustic and mist-net bat surveys, develop conservation and management plans, and work with clients to create conservation and avoidance measures. Our team is qualified and able to help you navigate your project through the ESA Section 7 Consultation process. We are keeping up with the latest information and are available at 800.940.4025 to answer any questions or concerns as to what this proposed reclassification may mean for your projects.

Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. Our client guarantee is to provide “Excellence in Any Environment” meaning no matter what we do, we will deliver on our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today, as our scientists explore the latest in environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.

EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to: aquatic survey (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring);  emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.

In November 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined the alligator snapping turtle’s past, present, and future conditions warrant its listing as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). USFWS conducted a special assessment that was independently peer- and partner-reviewed and showed the alligator snapping turtle’s population is in decline. It is likely to become endangered within the next 50 years.

Commercial and recreational harvest in the 20^th century is among the biggest culprits in the turtle’s dwindling population. Although harvesting has decreased since restrictions have been imposed, the population has not increased. According to USFWS, this can be attributed to “the turtle’s relatively low reproductive output, delayed maturity, and long generation times.”

This new listing under the ESA will help ensure all federal actions consider the preservation and welfare of the species in its natural habitat. It also holds the USFWS accountable for developing and implementing recovery plans to help improve the species’ status alongside species experts and governments at all levels. While USFWS acknowledges that designating the turtle’s critical habitat is important, much remains to be studied. USFWS is also concerned that its specification might elicit further harm to the population by those with malicious intent.

USFWS also proposed a 4(d) listing, which would promote conservation by prohibiting unauthorized possession, importing, and exporting—including incidental possession by fishermen, for example. Conservation efforts that include captive rearing and release are currently underway at Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma and Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery in Louisiana.

EnviroScience’s staff herpetologists Teal Richards-Dimitrie and Rex Everett have extensive experience surveying and assessing rare reptiles, including turtles. Contact EnviroScience at info@EnviroScienceInc.com for more information. If you suspect someone is illegally removing live alligator snapping turtles—or any other species—contact the USFWS hotline at 844.397.8477 or fws_tips@fws.gov.

Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today, as our scientists explore the latest in environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.

EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to: aquatic survey (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring);  emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.

Regulatory Status

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) [16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.] became law in 1973 and provides guidance for the listing, conservation, and recovery of endangered and threatened species of plants and wildlife. Under the ESA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) strives to protect and monitor the numbers and populations of listed species. 

Section 7(a)(2) of the ESA states that each federal agency should ensure any action they authorize, fund, or carry out is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or result in destruction nor adverse modification of designated critical habitat. A federal action includes approval of a permit or license and the activities resulting from such permit or license. The USFWS listed the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) as endangered on March 11, 1967.

White Nose Syndrome

White nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that affects hibernating bats and is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans.  WNS was first observed in caves near Albany, NY, in the winter of 2007. This fungus causes bats to become more active during the winter months, causing them to burn the fat needed to survive the winter.  This disease has killed more than 6 million bats across North America, primarily east of the Rocky Mountains.  At some sites, 90-100% of hibernating bats have been lost to WNS at a single hibernaculum.  To learn more visit

https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/static-page/what-is-white-nose-syndrome

Conservation Efforts

EnviroScience biologists are trained and fully permitted to conduct surveys for threatened and endangered bat species throughout their range.  These survey techniques include summer and winter habitat assessments, presence/absence mist-net and acoustic detection surveys, radio telemetry tracking, harp trapping of hibernacula, and white-nose surveys. Our biologists are experienced with all aspects of Section 7 consultation, including compiling Indiana bat conservation plans (IBCP), habitat conservation plans (HCP), protection and enhancement plans, and biological opinions.

Indiana bat habitat conservation plans are developed to avoid or minimize potential adverse effects on Indiana bats. Where impacts are unavoidable, conservation measures are developed to offset the impacts on the species. These measures can consist of a combination of:

• Erection of artificial roost structures
• Tree girdling
• Permanent preservation of suitable Indiana bat habitat within or adjacent to the project
• Creation of watering areas, wetlands, or ponds

Erecting artificial roosting structures, such as bat boxes, can provide immediate onsite roosting for Indiana bats returning from hibernation.  EnviroScience biologists construct these boxes using methods researched with proven success and peer-reviewed science. Permitted EnviroScience biologists oversee the construction as well as installation of the bat boxes.  Monitoring schedules are developed during the HCP process and determined by USFWS, and bats are typically monitored bi-annually for two years by permitted biologists. Monitoring allows biologists to determine occupancy and correct any inefficiencies. 

The EnviroScience team includes state and federally permitted bat biologists experienced with threatened and endangered bats.  Our biologists have over 25 years of combined experience performing bat surveys for state and federally listed species and helping clients comply with USFWS and state regulatory agencies. If your project is within the range of the Indiana bat and has a federal nexus, EnviroScience biologists will work with you to complete the appropriate survey for your project and assist with timely project approval and completion.

For more information or to discuss a site survey contact:

Ohio – Mary Gilmore (MGilmore@EnviroScienceInc.com) and Jamie Willaman (JWillaman@EnviroScienceInc.com)

West Virginia – Sean Kline (SKline@EnviroScienceInc.com)

Thaw is upon us! Have you started to hear the harbingers of spring? 🐸

Bird sounds are what many associate with the onset of spring. However, in early spring, just as the snows thaw, singing frogs and dancing salamanders send the message of seasonal change to come. Spring peepers, chorus frogs, and wood frogs are often who we Northeast Ohioans hear first. The following animation has been making the rounds on social media since its debut in 2020 and is an excellent representation of our northern amphibious friends’ phenology.

Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially concerning climate and plant and animal life.

For EnviroScience, this also signals the beginning of the threatened and endangered turtle survey season. Many of our northern shelled-reptile inhabitants follow along with their amphibian counterparts and start to become active with the first thaw.  Even sometimes basking on ice! The U.S. is home to a wide variety of freshwater turtles (approximately 18% of the world’s turtles). Some of these turtles are endangered or threatened due to illegal collection and trade. Habitat loss and wetland conversion also threaten most.

Out of Ohio’s twelve turtle species, two are listed as state-threatened (Spotted and Blanding’s) and may require agency coordination to complete your project or conduct conservation work. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been petitioned to federally list both species, and their status has been under review since 2015. Spotted and Blanding’s Turtles also have varying state protections across their ranges. Our experienced herpetologists have scientific collection permits and are experts at detecting them in their habitats.

March is an excellent time to check and make sure you are ready regarding coordination for amphibians and reptiles. Have you been holding off requesting a habitat survey? Now is the time to get this on the books so that if a presence survey is needed, it can be completed in the required window (often April/May). Don’t allow threatened and endangered species coordination to delay your warm-season work. Contact our herpetological experts today (Teal Richards-Dimitrie, TRichards-Dimitrie@EnviroScienceInc.com)

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) has been recently fluttering into the conservation world. After six years of deliberation and assessment, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced on December 15, 2020, that listing this important pollinator as a threatened or endangered species is a “warranted but precluded” action. This decision means that although data has found declining monarch populations range-wide, USFWS is not presently moving forward on listing this species due to other higher priority species listings. USFWS will continue to monitor monarch populations. If current conservation efforts do not sufficiently curb population decline in future years, USFWS expects the monarch butterfly will be added as a federally-listed, threatened, or endangered species in 2024.

Listing the monarch would be a highly impactful decision not only for pollinator enthusiasts but could also have future implications for the agricultural industry, transportation departments, utility companies, and construction projects alike. The monarch is a habitat generalist, using any open fields, roadways, and right-of-ways with milkweed (Asclepias sp.), asters (Asteraceae spp.), and other nectar plants during the summer months. As such, important habitat for this species is common across the U.S., and such habitat could be subject to management restrictions should the monarch become listed. A federal listing would protect the monarch and its habitat under the Endangered Species Act. It would likely require future development, pesticide use, mowing, and other habitat management actions to be approved and conducted following USFWS regulations.

Although the monarch butterfly will not be listed in 2020, your project could benefit from a pollinator assessment survey and habitat management plan. EnviroScience pollinator specialists can assist your project-specific needs and provide habitat management recommendations to improve monarch butterfly and pollinator habitat on your property. Implementing habitat improvement projects across the monarch butterfly’s range will not only benefit the species but may also prevent future federal listing and management restrictions. For specific questions about how this decision could affect you or your projects, or to schedule a pollinator habitat assessment, please contact Laura Sayre at LSayre@enviroscienceinc.com

For more information about this important conservation decision, check out the USFWS and the Xerces Society’s websites listed below. 
USFWS Save the Monarch

Xerces Society’s Much Needed Federal Protection for America’s Beloved Monarch