statement of qualifications - coast ridge ecology · coast ridge ecology p qualifications and...

Statement of Qualifications

Coast Ridge Ecology

1410 31st Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94122

Ph: 415-404-6757

Fax: 415-404-6097

Cell: 650-269-3894

[email protected]

www.CRecology.com

COAST RIDGE ECOLOGY QUALIFICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS P A G E | 1

1410 31ST AVENUE – SAN FRANCISCO CA 94122 – PH: 415-404-6757 – CELL: 650-269-3894 EMAIL: [email protected] – WWW.CRECOLOGY.COM

Coast Ridge Ecology (CRE) is an ecological consulting firm with extensive experience in

providing endangered species surveys and monitoring, wildlife and botanical surveys, restoration

planning, permitting assistance, wetland delineations and research and education services for a

variety of public and private sector clients. CRE works closely with clients and regulatory

agencies to assist clients through the permitting process and develop projects that are

ecologically sound.

CRE is owned by principal biologist Patrick Kobernus, who has over 18 years of experience

conducting endangered species surveys and monitoring, supervising habitat management and

restoration projects, and providing permitting assistance for clients in California. He holds a

USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) Recovery Permit for the San Francisco garter snake, California tiger

salamander, California red-legged frog and Callippe silverspot butterfly. CRE staff includes

environmental professionals specializing in biological surveys, permit compliance, and

construction monitoring and coordination.

Environmental services offered by CRE include:

• Biological Assessments

• Construction Monitoring

• Protocol Surveys for Rare and Endangered Plant and Animal Species

• Wetland Delineations and Mapping

• Mitigation, Monitoring and Restoration Plans

• Habitat Management and Reporting

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Section 7 and Section 10 (Habitat

Conservation Plan) Consultations

• Initial Study Checklists and EIS/EIR Biological Resources Sections

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1600 Streambed Alteration Agreements

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Regional Water Quality Control Board, CWA Section

404 and 401 Permitting Consultations, California Coastal Act Permitting Consultations

• Joint Aquatic Resource Permit Applications (JARPA)

• National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and Natural Environment Studies (NES)

• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Compliance Analysis and Permitting

CRE clients consist of private individuals and corporations and public agencies such as the San

Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric, San Mateo County Parks

Department, Port of San Francisco and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

CRE is a certified Local Business Enterprise (micro-LBE) by the City and County of San

Francisco, and a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE) by the State Department of General

Services.



Representative Projects

PROJECT: Lower Crystal Springs Dam Improvement

Project, Crystal Springs San Andreas Transmission

Upgrade Project, Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant

Long-Term Improvements, Bioregional Habitat

Restoration Program; San Francisco Peninsula

Region, CA

CLIENT: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

CONTACT: Kerry O’Neill, SFPUC Environmental

Construction Compliance Manager

944 Skyline Boulevard

San Mateo, CA 94402

(650) 438-1525

CRE CONTRACT BUDGET: $1 million

CRE STAFF: Patrick Kobernus, Suk-Ann Yee, Ranit Cohen, Patricia Ten Boom Byrnes, Marina Olson,

Tida Leagnavar, and Greg Pfau.

Coast Ridge Ecology provides a wide range of biological survey, environmental inspection, environmental

coordination, and construction monitoring services for a number of large-scale, long-term construction projects for

the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission under the Hetch Hetchy Water System Improvement Program.

Projects include construction and habitat restoration projects in urban and natural habitats. Projects under the

Bioregional Habitat Restoration Program include wetland creation and restoration, and invasive plant (eucalyptus,

Monterey pine, Monterey cypress, and pampas grass) removal. CRE involvement in the SPFUC- WSIP projects

began in 2009 and is contracted to continue until approximately 2014. These services include:

Wetland delineations and botanical surveys conducted in conjunction with Nomad Ecology at various

project sites throughout the SFPUC’s Peninsula Watershed in San Mateo County in 2009.

Surveys for protected animal species as specified by the MMRP including: California red-legged frog

(Rana draytonii), Central California Coast steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), San Francisco garter

snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia), San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes

annectens), mission blue butterfly (Icaricia icarioides missionensis), nesting birds and roosting bats.

All data points for protected species were recorded using Garmin GPS technology.

o CRE participated in the capture and relocation efforts of approximately 200 Central California

Coast steelhead from San Mateo Creek below the Lower Crystal Springs Dam prior to the

dewatering of the creek. Fish were captured via electrofishing, dipnetting and minnow traps

and were released downstream, including the federally threatened Central California Coast

steelhead, prickly sculpin (Cotus asper), three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus),

and Sacramento sucker (Catostomus occidentalis).

o CRE led the capture and relocation efforts of approximately 150 adult and juvenile California

red-legged frog (CRF) adults and juveniles, and 15 CRF egg masses from marsh and stream

habitats throughout the project areas including a pond above Lower Crystal Springs Dam,

dewatered sections of San Mateo Creek, and along the Crystal Springs San Andreas

Transmission Upgrade Project pipeline alignment and Homestead pond. Frogs and

eggmasses were carefully relocated to suitable outside of the construction zone.

o CRE biologists mapped and dismantled approximately 300 San Francisco dusky-footed

woodrat middens within project limits in order to encourage the woodrats to relocate to areas

outside of the construction zone.

o CRE staff mapped and established protective buffer zones for areas of summer lupine

(Lupinus formosus) and silver lupine (Lupinus albifrons) that serve as habitat for the federally

endangered mission blue butterfly.



o CRE biologists conducted nesting bird surveys during each spring and summer in 2011 and

2012 to determine the location of active bird nests. CRE biologists monitored active nests to

determine construction impacts on bird behavior. A total of over 150 nests from more than 35

bird species were discovered over the course of two nesting seasons, with no project-related

nest failures.

o CRE biologists conducted multiple roosting bat surveys across various projects sites utilizing

both visual survey methods, as well as acoustic monitoring coupled with Sonobat software to

determine presence and species identification of roosting bats in the project area. A maternity

colony of Yuma bats (Yuma myotis) were identified within a structure to be demolished as

part of the project. The bats were excluded prior to the breeding season, and a bat “condo”

structure was built as mitigation to provide suitable roosting habitat. CRE has monitored this

structure for bat utilization and temperature over time.

As part of pre-construction surveys for protected plant species, CRE biologists participated in data

collection and construction monitoring for populations of Crystal Springs lessingia (Lessingia

arachnoidea), and Franciscan onion (Allium peninsulare var. franciscanum). Populations of rare plants

were flagged and avoided to the extent possible. When impacts were unavoidable topsoil and/or seeds

were salvaged for replanting.

CRE biologists participated in data collection and mapping of invasive plant species including areas of

blue-gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), Monterey pine

(Pinus radiate), pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), harding

grass (Phalaris aquatica), French broom (Genista monspessulana), Spanish broom (Genista juncea), and

teasel (Dipsacus sativus).

CRE staff provides construction monitoring, environmental inspection and coordination on a multi-project

level including:

o Environmental and biological awareness training for all construction personnel

o Onsite monitoring for the presence of special status species in the construction area including

California red-legged frog, San Francisco garter snake, San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat.

o Compliance monitoring for project- specific SWPPP as required by the SWRCB Construction

General Permit and San Francisco Bay RWQCB.

o Monitoring for such environmental concerns including erosion control, water quality, air

quality, dust control and abatement, and noise level.

o Permit compliance reporting for multiple agencies for a broad range of SFPUC- WSIP

projects in the San Francisco peninsula area.



PROJECT: Port of San Francisco, America’s Cup Yacht

Race, Pier 19, San Francisco, CA

CLIENT: Port of San Francisco

CONTACT: Lauren Eisle, Senior Environmental Planner

Port of San Francisco

Pier 1, The Embarcadero

San Francisco, CA 94111

(415) 274-0226

CRE CONTRACT BUDGET: $17,000

CRE STAFF: Denise Greig, Kirstie Goodman-Rendall,

Marina Olson, Patrick Kobernus

CRE provided marine mammal observers during impact pile driving operations as part of the Port of SF's

preparation for the America's Cup yacht race. Pursuant to the America's Cup's Incidental Harassment Authorization

issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service, marine mammal observers are required to be on-site during impact

pile driving and some vibratory pile driving to make sure that no marine mammals are adversely impacted by the

sound generated during pile driving operations. Pile driving operations took place as part of the apron replacement

along the south side of Pier 19 in San Francisco.

PROJECT: San Bruno Elfin Butterfly Larvae Surveys, San

Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan, San Mateo

County, CA

CLIENT: San Mateo County Parks Department, TRA

Environmental Sciences

CONTACT: Autumn Meisel, Senior Biologist

TRA Environmental Sciences

545 Middlefield Road, Suite 200

Menlo Park, CA 94025

(650) 463-1686


CRE STAFF: Ranit Cohen, Patrick Kobernus

CRE conducted larval count surveys for the San Bruno elfin butterfly (Callophrys mossii bayensis) at stratified

randomly sampled points within the San Bruno Mountain HCP Area. This work was done as a subcontractor to TRA

Environmental Sciences in 2010.



PROJECT: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve LCP Biological

Assessment, Moss Beach, CA

CLIENT: San Mateo County Parks

CONTACT: Sam Herzberg

San Mateo County Parks Department

555 County Center, 5th Floor

Redwood City, CA 94063-1646

(408) 472-3411


CRE STAFF: Patrick Kobernus, Suk-Ann Yee, Jessica Pouder

CRE conducted a biological assessment including a CNDDB records search and a field assessment to determine the

impacts of a parking lot upgrade on biological resources at the Fitzgerald Marin Reserve in compliance with San

Mateo County’s Local Coastal Program Policies.

PROJECT: Environmental Permitting and Monitoring for California

red-legged frog and San Francisco Garter Snake for Mirada Surf

Coastal Trail Extension, Half Moon Bay, CA

CLIENT: San Mateo County Parks Department

CONTACT: Sam Herzberg




(408) 472-3411


CRE STAFF: Patrick Kobernus, Greg Yost

CRE prepared a Natural Environment Study (NES) for the Mirada Surf Coastal Trail project in Half Moon Bay,

California (2009). CRE also conducted preconstruction surveys and daily biological monitoring for California red-

legged frog and San Francisco garter snake for the duration of the project. No San Francisco garter snakes were

detected on site, however five Coast garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans terrestris), a non-listed species, were

detected and moved to a safe distance outside of the project area. CRE is contracted to prepare monitoring reports to

the ACOE, RWCQB, and DFG for the duration of the post-construction monitoring period (6 years).

Coast garter snake

Thamnophis elegans terrestris



PROJECT: Holland-Yates Green Building and Wildlife

Monitoring Project, Portola Valley, CA

CLIENT: Linda Yates and Paul Holland

CONTACT: Linda Yates

170 Mapache Drive

Portola Valley, CA 94028

(650) 799-2301


CRE STAFF: Patrick Kobernus, Suk-Ann Yee, Patricia Ten

Boom Byrnes, Ranit Cohen, Jessica Pouder

CRE is conducting a long-term wildlife monitoring project for a LEED Platinum Certified home building project in

Portola Valley, California. The project is being conducted by CRE, TRA Environmental Sciences, and HT Harvey

and Associates. Monitoring consists of monthly timed searches for birds, amphibians and reptiles, camera trapping

for terrestrial mammals and acoustic surveys for bats on a 2-acre property and surrounding areas. The project is

using species diversity measures to compare pre-project to post project conditions after habitat restoration.

PROJECT: Maverick’s Film Project, Pillar Point Harbor,

Half Moon Bay, CA

CLIENT: San Mateo County Parks Department

CONTACT: Gary Lockman, Superintendent




(650) 363-1881


CRE STAFF: Patrick Kobernus, Chennie Castañon,

Jessica Pouder

CRE provided environmental training for film crew personnel and biological monitoring services for the duration of

filming in coastal bluff habitats for the “Of Men and Mavericks” film project. CRE staff biologists conducted a pre-

project survey for California red-legged frog, San Francisco garter snake, Hickman’s cinquefoil (Potentilla

hickmanii), rose leptosiphon (Leptosiphon rosaceus) and coast yellow leptosiphon (Leptosiphon croceus), and

monitored crew activities for the duration of the project in order to limit impacts to special status species, and areas

of sensitive vegetation cover.



PROJECT: Harmony@1 LEED Development Project, Pacifica,

California CLIENT: Cowan-Newton LLC

CRE provided a wetland delineation and permitting assistance on a 65-

acre LEED development project in Pacifica, California. CRE assisted the

client through the permitting process with the US Army Corps of

Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, US Fish and

Wildlife Service and the State Water Resources Control Board. Species

covered by the section 7 endangered species permit included the

California red-legged frog, San Francisco garter snake, and the mission

blue butterfly.

PROJECT: Biological Resource

Assessment and Marbled Murrelet Habitat

Assessment for LLA and Merger,

Woodside, California

CLIENT: Greg Serrurier

CRE prepared a Biological Resource

Assessment for a 13.2 acre property on the

eastern flank of the Santa Cruz Mountains in

Woodside, California (2009). As part of the

BRA, CRE conducted a habitat assessment for

marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus Marmora-

tus) within a 6.8 acre grove of second growth

redwood forest.

PROJECT: Wildlife Surveys and Environmental Impact Report

for Forward Landfill Expansion Project, Manteca, San Joaquin

County, California

CLIENT: San Joaquin County and Wood Biological Consulting

CRE provided a wildlife habitat survey, and research and reporting for

the wildlife section of the Forward Landfill Expansion Environmental

Impact Report in 2008 and 2009. Special status species addressed in the

analysis included Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni) and giant garter

snake (Thamnophis gigas), among others.

Coast garter snake

Thamnophis

California

Red-legged frog

Rana aurora draytonii



PROJECT: Wetland Delineations and Botanical Surveys for

SFPUC Habitat Reserve Program, Peninsula watershed and San

Joaquin County, California

CLIENT: SFPUC and Environmental Science Associates (ESA)

CRE, with assistance from Nomad Ecology botanists and GIS

specialists Heath Bartosh and Erin McDermott, prepared wetland

delineations and botanical surveys at project sites within the SFPUC’s

Peninsula Watershed in San Mateo County, and at the Wilms Road

project area in San Joaquin Valley in 2009.

PROJECT: Callippe Silverspot and Mission Blue Butterfly

Corridor Analysis, Brisbane, California

CLIENT: City of Brisbane

CRE provided analysis of mission blue and Callippe silverspot

(Speyeria callippe callippe) butterfly habitat and movement corridors

on the Northeast Ridge of San Bruno Mountain in 2008 and 2009.

Project was conducted for a proposed amendment to the San Bruno

Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan.

PROJECT: Western Gull Nest Monitoring at Pier 80,

San Francisco


As a subcontractor working for Weiss and Associates,

CRE and Nomad Ecology crews supervised and

conducted western gull (Larus occidentalis) nests on a 2-

acre warehouse roof at Pier 80 in San Francisco in 2008

and 2009. Monitoring consisted of daily monitoring of

western gull nests over the breeding season and

recommendations to prevent impacts to the nesting colony

from re-roofing activities. A depredation permit was

obtained for the client from the Migratory Bird Treaty

Office of the US Fish and Wildlife Service in order to

move nests away from roofing activities.

Western gull (Larus occidentalis)

Mission blue butterfly

Icaricia icarioides missionensis



PROJECT: Assessment of the Status and

Distribution of the Lilian’s Silverspot Butterfly

CLIENT: US Fish and Wildlife Service

Under contract to the US Fish and Wildlife Service,

CRE conducted a two-year study (2009 – 2010) on the

status and distribution of the Lilian’s silverspot

butterfly (Speyeria callippe liliana) in northern

California. Using GPS mapping of host plant habitat,

review of previous collections of the species, and field

surveys in Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, and Mendocino

Counties, the project assessed the current distribution

of the species to inform future conservation.

PROJECT: Sterling Bank Repair Project, Bear Gulch Creek,

Woodside, California

CLIENT: Jan Sterling

CRE prepared Section 404 and 401 permitting, replanting plans,

CEQA documentation, and assisted with steelhead relocation for

the Sterling Bank Repair Project in Woodside, California in 2008.

CRE also conducted preconstruction surveys and biological

monitoring for California red-legged frog, western pond turtle

(Actinemys marmorata) and San Francisco garter snake for the

duration of the project. CRE assisted the client through the 10-

month permitting process and prepared and submitted monitoring

reports to the USFWS, ACOE, SRWCB and CDFW.

PROJECT: Bay Checkerspot Butterfly Surveys for Young

Ranch, Santa Clara County, California

CLIENT: Wetlands Research Associates & Private

Landowner

CRE provided assistance with field surveys for the federally

Threatened Bay Checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha

bayensis) on a 2000-acre ranch in Santa Clara Valley in spring

2008. GPS mapping of Bay checkerspot observations and

survey routes were also conducted. Surveys were conducted

under contract to WRA Environmental Consultants.

Viola pedunculata

* Host plant for Speyeria callippe ssp.

Bay checkerspot butterfly

(Euphydryas editha bayensis)

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)



PROJECT: Environmental Permitting and

Monitoring for California Red-legged Frog for

BMW Culvert Project, Burlingame, California

CLIENT: Penske Automotive Group; Peter Pan

BMW

CRE provided a biological resource assessment, and

assisted with state and federal (Section 7, 401, 404 and

1600) permitting, restoration plans, CEQA

documentation, and California red-legged frog

monitoring for a culvert project in Burlingame, California

in 2009. Preconstruction surveys for California red-

legged frog and nesting birds and daily monitoring for

California red-legged frog was conducted for the project.

Project completed in 2009.

PROJECT: Biological Assessment and Biological

Consulting for the Brannan Street Wharf Project, at

Pier 36, San Francisco


As a subcontractor working for URS, CRE provided

Biological Assessment and consulting services to assist

the Port of San Francisco in consulting with the US Army

Corp of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, US

Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department

of Fish and Wildlife. The project renovated a portion of

the San Francisco waterfront. Potential impacts to fish,

birds and marine mammals were addressed through the

environmental review process.

PROJECT: Preconstruction surveys for special status

species for Otter 1102 and Salinas-Laurelis Utility Line

Reconductoring Project, Big Sur, California.

CLIENT: PGE and Nomad Ecology

CRE provided preconstruction habitat surveys for special status

wildlife species along the Otter 1102 and Salinas-Laurelis

transmission line corridor. Special status species surveyed for

included Smith’s blue butterfly (Euphilotes enoptes smithi),

California red-legged frog, California condor (Gymnogyps

californianus), American badger (Taxidea taxus) and Monterey

dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes luciana). Project

completed in 2009.

Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auratus)

California condor

(Gymnogyps californianus)



PROJECT: California Tiger Salamander Surveys at

Burke Ranch Conservation Bank, Solano County,

California.

CLIENT: Westervelt Ecological Services and Nomad

Ecology

CRE provided assistance to Nomad Ecology in conducting

field surveys for California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma

californiense) (both winter adult and spring aquatic larval

surveys) in 2008 and 2009 at the Burke Ranch conservation

bank in Solano County, California. Federally listed species

recorded on site included the California tiger salamander,

vernal pool fairy shrimp (Brachinecta Lynchi), and vernal

pool tadpole shrimp

(Lepidurus Packardi).

PROJECT: Biological Resources Assessment for

Proposed Land Division and Stream Conservation

Area for Private Property Owner, Point Reyes

Station, California.

CLIENT: Gal Bar-or

CRE worked with a local private property owner to

conduct a biological assessment on their 10.2-acre parcel

in Marin County. Potential special status species such as

western pond turtle, three species of bats, and six species

of birds were surveyed. CRE staff found negligible

impacts to biological resources for proposed project and

recommendations to protect resources from potential future

impacts were provided.

PROJECT: Crystal Springs Interpretive Hikes –

Volunteer Hike Leader

CLIENT: SFPUC Natural Resources and Lands

Management Division

CRE has assisted the SFPUC Natural Resources and Lands

Management Division with conducting interpretive hikes for

docents and hike leaders. CRE conducted two hikes for the

SFPUC at Crystal Springs in 2009, one focused on the

butterflies of Fifield Ridge, and one on the native wildlife of

Pilarcitos Canyon.

California tiger salamander (larvae)

Ambystoma californiense

Green hairstreak butterfly

Adult western pond turtle

Actinemys marmorata

Green hairstreak

Callophrys dumetorum



PROJECT: Stevens Creek Fish Rescue Project, Stevens

Creek, Cupertino

CLIENT: City of Cupertino, TRA Environmental

Sciences and Sokale Environmental Planning

As a subcontractor to TRA Environmental Sciences, CRE

assisted with fish relocation at the Stevens Creek Restoration

Project in Cupertino, California (2008). Over 2000 fish were

relocated using electrofishing methods (including the federally

Threatened Central California Coast Steelhead, three-spined

stickleback, California roach (Lavinia symmetricus), and

Sacramento sucker from a 0.5 mile section of the creek.

Mortality levels were kept below 2% for the project. Project

was coordinated by the Santa Clara Valley Water District and Sokale Environmental Consultants with assistance

from EDAW.

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