Energy Development

Our headquarters is conveniently located in Wellsboro, the heart of the Marcellus Shale play, which enables our clients to use a firm with expert local knowledge and staff that have experience working directly with gas companies and engineering firms in the area every day. Our experience with the wind and natural gas industry has helped us develop a good working relationship with state and federal natural resource agencies, allowing us to streamline the review process for our clients.

Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species Services:

• Agency Negotiation and Communication: Our professionals have good working relationships with the regulatory agency staff with whom we are constantly communicating, and are aware of specific survey and management requirements associated with conflicts to individual species.
• Bat Surveys and Monitoring:  Acoustical detection, mist-netting, harp trapping, cave and mine surveys, and mortality monitoring.  We provide qualified expertise for threatened and endangered species including Indiana  and Eastern Small-footed Bats.
• Bird Surveys: Raptor migration counts, breeding bird surveys, mortality monitoring, rare, threatened and endangered species habitat suitability assessments and presence/absence surveys including Northern Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Short-eared Owl, Long-eared Owl, Upland Sandpiper, Dickcissel and American Bittern, among others.
• Reptile and Amphibian Surveys: Habitat and species surveys for the Timber Rattlesnake, Bog Turtle, Wood Turtle, Green Salamander, and many other species.
• Rattlesnake Construction Monitoring: Qualified construction monitors to meet agency requirements.
• Allegheny Woodrat Surveys: Habitat, sign, presence/live-trapping, and remote camera surveys.  Our staff have designed and implemented woodrat habitat enhancement plans for development projects in Pennsylvania.
• Rare Plant Surveys: Qualified surveyors for most plant species in the northeastern United States including Northeastern Bulrush.

Other Services:

• Environmental Inspections: We have environmental inspectors available to ensure contractor compliance with E&S plans on a variety of project types.
  
• Habitat Surveys: Terrestrial and aquatic surveys for development impact assessments.
  
• Invasive Plant Surveys: Surveys designed specifically to meet Pennsylvania DCNR requirements. We map the invasive species within project areas, document their spread, and plan and implement control measures.
• Wetland Delineation: Comprehensive wetland assessments by professionally trained staff using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual and Regional Supplements.
• Habitat Enhancement/Mitigation: Our staff are experienced in both design and implementation of habitat mitigation/enhancement plans for sensitive species.  
• Stream and Pond Aquatic Bioassays: Wildlife Specialists offers stream and pond quality assessment via assays of water chemistry and invertebrate, fish and vegetative communities with cooperation through certified laboratories.