Biological Studies

Designing and conducting surveys with the end goal in mind.

Our team designs studies to help you get the information you really need. Since no two projects are alike, we efficiently evaluate every project to determine the right level of effort needed to inform project decisions. Ascent’s Natural Resources practice uses our full suite of wildlife biology and botany capabilities to support environmental decision making and stewardship of land and water resources. Our work supports natural resource and outdoor recreation planning and management, CEQA and NEPA documents, regulatory compliance, and monitoring during project implementation.

SERVICES
  • Habitat assessments
  • Wildlife and botanical surveys
  • Aquatic resource delineations
  • Invasive weed risk assessment
  • GIS modeling and analysis
  • Conservation and mitigation strategies
  • Natural resources management planning
  • Biological mitigation monitoring
FEATURED PROJECTS
It was anticipated that the 2018 UC Davis Long Range Development Plan could result in potential impacts to special-status wildlife, including nesting birds and roosting bats. The LRDP included two mitigation measures (3.5-4a and 3.5-6) applying to birds that may nest in trees or on buildings and one mitigation measure (3.5-8b) applying to roosting bats. Swainson’s hawk and tricolored blackbird are species of special concern that are discussed in the mitigation measures. Ascent biologists prepared the Nesting Bird and Roosting Bat Guidance Document to outline procedures for dealing with nesting birds and bat roosts prior to and during building demolition activities under the LRDP.
Davis, California
Nesting Bird and Roosting Bat Guidance Document
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NV Energy’s electrical service area includes the community of Mt. Charleston in Kyle Canyon, approximately 35 miles west-northwest of Las Vegas on National Forest System land managed by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Some special use permits on lands managed by the US Forest Service had expired and needed to be renewed as part of the consolidated master special use permit. Ascent’s biological resources team conducted field surveys for golden eagle, northern goshawk, flammulated owl, and other raptors; bat roosting habitat and acoustical surveys; sensitive butterfly larval host and nectar plant surveys and mapping; snag mapping; TES plant surveys; and invasive and nonnative plant species surveys.
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada
Kyle Canyon Biological Surveys
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Trails are fundamental to fulfilling the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s mission to create opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. The Road and Trail Management Plan (RTMP) for the Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area provides specific and detailed management direction for the road and trail systems in these park units, guiding their future operation, maintenance, and development.
Rancho Cordova, California
Prairie City SVRA Aquatic Resources Delineation
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Tuolumne County is conducting landscape restoration activities through Supplemental Project Agreements developed under a Master Stewardship Agreement with the Stanislaus National Forest. Ascent conducted botanical surveys in advance of forest restoration and fuel reduction activities to be implemented for the Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape (SERAL) and Cedar Ridge Fuels projects.
Stanislaus National Forest, California
Botanical Field Surveys, SERAL and Cedar Ridge Fuels Project
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AMBASSADORS

Tammie Beyerl
Senior Botanist and Wetland Ecologist
(Northern California)

916.732.3330
Email 

LinkedIn
MEET TAMMIE

Steve Henderson
Senior Wildlife Biologist
(Sierra Nevada)

775.636.8204
Email 

LinkedIn
MEET STEVE

Scott Gressard
Director of Biological Services
(Southern California)

619.500.8537
Email

LinkedIn
MEET SCOTT
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
  • California State Parks
  • California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
  • California Department of General Services
  • California Tahoe Conservancy
  • California Wildlife Foundation
  • City of Sacramento
  • City of South Lake Tahoe
  • Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
  • NV Energy
  • County of Napa
  • North Tahoe Public Utilities District
  • Sacramento Area Flood Control District
  • County of Sacramento
  • Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District
  • Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
  • Sierra Nevada Conservancy
  • Stanislaus National Forest
  • Tahoe City Public Utilities District
  • Tahoe National Forest
  • Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
  • Tahoe Resource Conservation District
  • Tahoe Transportation District
  • County of Tuolumne
  • UC Davis
  • Vail Resorts
  • County of Yolo
  • Yuba Water Agency
NATURAL RESOURCES KNOWLEDGE
New Information and Tools to Support CalVTP Implementation
The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection announces the release of new tools for efficient California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) implementation and Project-Specific Analysis (PSA) preparation.
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fire scarred hillside neighborhood
Attorney General Releases Guidance for Analyzing Wildfire Impacts of New Development
On October 11, the California Attorney General (AG) released guidance for complying with CEQA when analyzing and mitigating a proposed development project’s impacts on wildfire risk, emergency access, and evacuation.
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Bumble Bees Are Endangered? What’s the Buzz?
On May 31, 2022, the Third District Court of Appeal determined that four bumble bee species are eligible for California Endangered Species Act listing.
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