Tag Archives: biology

Specialized Research and Expertise Drive California’s Golden Mussel Response, Dudek Says 

Adrianne Cruz

Science‑based approaches help water managers assess infrastructure risk and act quickly  Encinitas, CA – April 21, 2026 –  Dudek, a U.S.-based environmental, planning, and engineering consulting firm, is supporting California’s response to the spread of golden mussels through specialized research and multidisciplinary expertise that is helping water managers assess infrastructure risk and act quickly across complex water systems

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How Studying Benthic Macroinvertebrates Can Diagnose Water Quality Issues

Adrianne Cruz

Water quality is a critical component of ecosystem health. Studying aquatic organisms is a useful indication of the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. One such group of organisms, benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs), are considered excellent indicators of water quality and in-stream habitat conditions. What are Benthic Macroinvertebrates? Benthic macroinvertebrates are organisms that live on, in, or

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How Your California Project May Be Impacted by the Burrowing Owl CESA Listing Candidacy

Rose Fox

endangered under CESA and will make a final listing decision within 1-2 years. There are three key questions to consider when determining how to proceed with your project: Is my project located in an area where burrowing owls may occur? Is my project located in an area where an existing habitat conservation plan (HCP)

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Bumble Bees May Soon Be Eligible for Listing Under the California Endangered Species Act

Nicole Flewellen

What is the current listing status for California bumble bees? On May 31, 2022, the Third Appellate Court District in California ruled that “…a terrestrial invertebrate, like each of the four bumble bee species, may be listed as an endangered or threatened species under the [California Endangered Species Act],” under the definition of ‘fish.’ This

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8 Tips to Help You Manage Rare Plant Surveys in 2024

Nicole Flewellen

Plant growth and its relationship to climate is very nuanced, but in general the higher the rainfall, the more likely it is that rare plants will grow and bloom, making them detectable during surveys. Dudek Botanist Megan Enright said, “We often receive comments from the public, resource agencies, and non-governmental organizations about weather patterns and

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7 Tips to Help You Manage Spring Biology Surveys in 2024

Nicole Flewellen

Every spring biology survey is slightly different because of varying rain, temperature, and other factors. While some species—plants and some invertebrates, to name two—have variable survey seasons, others have well-established or agency-mandated survey seasons. Missing a survey window can adversely impact a project’s schedule and defensibility. By working closely with expert biologists, you can identify

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How Three Bat Species Listings May Impact your Wind Energy Project

Nicole Flewellen

The operation of wind energy facilities can potentially harm bats, but the true extent of this danger is not fully understood. In some US regions, a significant challenge to developing wind energy is finding ways to lower the number of bats that collide with wind turbines while maintaining high power production levels. When developing or

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5 Helpful Steps to Negotiate the Best Permit Conditions for Every Project

Nicole Flewellen

Construction delays, tied-up bonding capacity, and extraneous years of site mitigation, monitoring, and maintenance are just a few of the consequences of poorly considered and negotiated permit conditions. Conversely, a thorough, thoughtful permitting strategy can save you time and money. Dudek Habitat Restoration Practice Director Mike Sweesy offers five tips on how to tailor a

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Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog Listing Status under the California and Federal ESA

Nicole Flewellen

On December 28, 2021, the USFWS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register listing four of six Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) of the foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) under the Endangered Species Act. This follows the 2020 listing by the California Fish and Game Commission of five of six clades of the foothill yellow-legged

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Hermes Copper Butterfly Listed as a Threatened Species: What that Means for Your Projects

Nicole Flewellen

On December 21, 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officially published the final listing rule for the Hermes copper butterfly (Lycaena [Hermelycaena] hermes), designating it as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). As the species is endemic to San Diego County and northern Baja California, Mexico, the final rule designates

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