HABITAT RESTORATION

Habitat restoration services provided by Taylor Associates, Inc. include habitat assessment, restoration design, monitoring program design and implementation, permitting assistance, construction oversight, mitigation recommendations, sample collection, data analysis, and report preparation. Our expertise and experience includes both marine and freshwater habitat restoration.

At the onset of a project, Taylor Associates, Inc. staff work closely with the client to refine and articulate project objectives then identify a series of tasks which once completed, will meet these objectives. This planning and design process culminates in the production of a scope of work and quality assurance project plan which lays out project objectives, permits required, roles and responsibilities, tasks to be performed, and final products to be delivered to the client.

Implementation of habitat assessment and monitoring related tasks involve a variety of fisheries, stream habitat, marine, and/or estuarine sampling protocols. These protocols include EPA Field Operations Manual for Wadeable Streams and Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board Field Sampling Protocols for Effectiveness Monitoring. Special studies/permits may be needed as well, including an ESA Section 7 Biological Assessment in order to accomplish the restoration project. This ESA assessment typically includes (1) a documented National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) environmental baseline, (2) an evaluation of the affects of the project on ESA listed fish species, (3) consultation with state and federal agencies regarding impacts to fish and wildlife; (4) recommended conservation measures (mitigation); and (5) development of a monitoring plan. Additionally, Taylor Associates, Inc. has prepared WDFW hydraulic project approvals for individual projects.

Data management and analysis often includes organizing and manipulating large arrays of field data sets related to effectiveness monitoring. Effectiveness monitoring requires tracking changes in habitat and fish populations in the restored area. This is done by monitoring project implementation, engineering and design criteria, habitat changes, and local fish abundance. In the end a final report is produced which presents data in a clear and concise format, discusses the results relative to the monitoring or sample collection objectives, and provides recommendations for future monitoring activities or other actions as appropriate.

Taylor Associates, Inc. has provided these services for a wide range of projects on the Duwamish Waterway and numerous stream systems in Washington. Three recent example projects include: Herring's House Estuarine Restoration Project, Idylwood Creek Habitat Restoration Project, and Redondo Beach Seawall Reconstruction Biological Monitoring of Forage Fish and Habitat.

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