Biological Studies
& Surveys 

We routinely conduct biological studies in support of CEQA and NEPA. Our process begins by gathering information on the existing conditions of the project site, generally through one or more field surveys and review of existing natural resources data for the project vicinity. We use this information to characterize the site’s biological setting and evaluate its potential to support special status species and other sensitive resources.

We then analyze the effects of the project on these resources and propose measures to mitigate these effects. We condense our findings and proposed mitigations into a technical report that is used to inform the Biological Resources section of the environmental document that will undergo CEQA or NEPA review.

In addition to conducting CEQA- and NEPA-compliant biological studies, we provide general consulting support related to these environmental review processes. This includes offering counsel on project design modifications clients can make to avoid significant impacts on the environment, reviewing comments received during public input periods, preparing responses to comments on biological resource issues, and other tasks. We routinely collaborate with environmental planning firms that oversee the full CEQA and/or NEPA environmental review process and work closely together throughout the process to ensure a consistent approach.

Our biologists are trained to delineate aquatic resources potentially subject to the jurisdictions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Delineations are prepared in conformance with the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual, Corps Regional Supplements, and all applicable statutes and regulations. These delineations require field skills in identifying vascular plants, hydric soils, evidence of wetland hydrology, and indicators of ordinary high water.

We have prepared several hundred aquatic resources delineations that have been reviewed and verified by the San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles Districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

We are an industry leader in the study, management, and conservation of special status plant and animal species. This includes species listed under the federal or state Endangered Species Acts, animals afforded special designations by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, plants deemed rare by the California Native Plant Society, and other species considered sensitive by resource and regulatory agencies.

We design our special status species studies to meet our clients’ specific needs; for example, evaluating project feasibility, informing project design, developing mitigation strategies, and guiding resource management. Surveys follow agency-accepted protocols, where applicable, and are conducted by capable field staff who are familiar with the focal species and hold any necessary permits for their capture and handling. Results are generally presented in technical reports and illustrated with maps and spatial data that depict the locations and/or extent of the focal species. If applicable, our studies are accompanied by recommendations for minimizing project-related impacts to the focal species or furthering their conservation.

Our special status species experience encompasses numerous plants and animals known from California’s Bay Area, Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, and other regions.

We provide arboricultural services aimed at helping our clients manage and conserve their tree resources and comply with local tree ordinances. Our services include development of native and ornamental tree inventories, diagnosis of insects and diseases, construction impact analyses, tree preservation plans, hazard analysis/risk assessments, restoration and replanting plans, and tree appraisals, completed by International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborists.

In the initial stages of project conceptualization, a project proponent may wish to determine the degree to which their objectives may be challenged by biological constraints. For example, a project site may contain endangered species or their habitats, wetlands, or an important wildlife movement corridor, any of which may limit site development. Our biological constraints analyses provide critical information for early project decision-making.

Typically, these analyses involve one or more field surveys to characterize the biological resources of the site, followed by an in-depth evaluation of project constraints that may be posed by the presence of these resources, based on current regulations, policies, and court opinions. We may then make recommendations for revised project design. We typically package a constraints analysis as a technical report for the client’s use only; such reports do not become part of the environmental record. Based on our findings, a project proponent may choose to proceed with the project as planned, make changes to its design or location to minimize biological constraints, or elect a different project altogether.

Occasionally, projects require specific information on whether a project site is suitable for a specific habitat, plant, or animal. For example, proponents of restoration projects may need to know where to restore a particular habitat, plant, and/or animal for the effort to succeed, and species reintroduction projects may require specific habitat information to increase chances of survival and ultimate success. On a larger scale, habitat suitability evaluations can identify core habitat areas, migration corridors, and landscape-level compatibility for focal species, which can strengthen project impact assessments for the species in question.

At Live Oak Associates, we have the experience and tools to prepare both small- and large-scale habitat suitability evaluations for numerous habitat types and plant and animal species.

Often, a project’s CEQA/NEPA document or regulatory permits require that surveys for sensitive biological resources be conducted prior to the start of construction, so that measures for their protection can be put in place. We conduct pre-construction surveys for a variety of special status plant and wildlife species, nesting birds and raptors, roosting bats, and other resources. Surveys are conducted according to accepted protocols, as appropriate. If sensitive resources are found on site, we work with clients to implement the required protective measures. Most commonly, this entails establishing disturbance-free buffers around the resource; however, in some cases, the resource may be salvaged and relocated.

Typically, we summarize the results of our pre-construction surveys and any subsequent protective measures that are implemented in a brief letter report illustrated with figures and photographs. Our reports are suitable for submittal to participating agencies and other project stakeholders, as is sometimes required by the CEQA/NEPA document or permits.