How Industry and Environment
 Work Together                          
 
 
 
 
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" [DESCO] was extremely knowledgeable of the seismic operations, capabilities of the
machinery and crews,
and sensitive to resource protection."
 
DESCO team member identifying plant species
Natural Resource Identification and Assessment
 
One of the keys to DESCO’s continued success is our commitment to providing the highest quality of services geared toward natural resource conservation efforts, while helping our clients accomplish project goals and objectives. We take pride in utilizing innovative strategies for natural resource evaluation, restoration, and enhancement.
 
DESCO conducts several types of natural resource surveys and assessments to assist with environmental planning and regulatory compliance (i.e., NEPA, ESA, NHPA, CWA, MBTA, CERCLA, and others):
  • Threatened and Endangered (T&E) Species Surveys- to identify the presence or absence of state or federally listed species and/or appropriate habitat.
  • Habitat Assessments- to determine and characterize the various habitat types present in a given area.
  • Vegetation Mapping and Assessments - to sample, identify, characterize and map existing vegetation of a given area.
  • Wildlife Surveys - to sample, identify, characterize and map existing species present in a given area.
  • Fisheries Assessments – to sample, identify, characterize and map existing aquatic species of a given watershed or water body.
  • Water Quality Assessments - to assess the quality of a given watershed or water body and/or to identify the presence/absence of pollutants in excess of permitted quantities.
  • Soil Surveys (Wetland and Horticultural Studies) – to sample and characterize soils to determine if hydric characteristics are present in wetland areas or to determine if appropriate soil parameters are present to support specific vegetation.
  • Wetland Delineation – to determine wetland/upland boundaries based on presence/absence of hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydrologic indicators. 
  • Finfish Sampling and Impact Assessments - to gather qualitative and quantitative data on occurrences and densities of species in a given area or to quantify the impacts to fish as a result of project activities.
  • NEPA Documentation and Compliance (CE, EA, EIS)
  • ESA Sections 7 and 10 Reviews, Consultations and Regulatory Compliance
  • CWA Section 404 Reviews, Consultations and Regulatory Compliance
We take a comprehensive approach to every project, which means you never have to worry about any aspect being overlooked. However, even with careful planning, it is difficult to conduct project activities in sensitive areas without some impact to natural resources. DESCO can provide services utilized to evaluate, restore, and/or compensate for impacts resulting from project activities, such as:
  • Impact Assessments to determine the extent and intensity of impacts, estimate recovery times, and make recommendations for remediation and/or mitigation of impacted areas.
  • Ecological Mitigation Planning to make recommendations for the enhancement, restoration or re-creation of natural habitats to compensate for impacts caused by project activities.
  • Ecological Restoration/Enhancement to return degraded or impacted ecosystems to a more natural state that provides more of the functions, benefits, and values of like systems, elsewhere.
  • Wetland Mitigation Planning to make recommendations for the enhancement, preservation, or creation of wetlands to compensate for project-related impacts.