First, Wildlands will be co-hosting the Welcoming Reception on opening night with JT&A, Inc. and Timbervest, LLC (Wednesday 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm in the Exhibit Area).

Wildlands is taking an active presenting role at the Mitigation Banking & Ecosystem Banking Conference, including sessions on Conservation and Fish Banking, Emerging Markets, and Trends in Mitigation Banking presented or moderated by experts from our staff. Here are details on Wildlands’ NMBA conference presentations.

Wednesday, May 9
Session 2: Conservation and Fish Banking
Julie Mentzer will be presenting on the Liberty Island Conservation Bank for Salmon, Delta Smelt and Longfin Smelt, one of three topics under the Conservation and Fish Banking session. (Co-author: Carl Jensen, ICF Jones & Stokes International)

Thursday, May 10
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Session 5: Emerging Markets
Wayne White will be the Moderator for this session focusing on Emerging Markets (3 Topics: The Ohio River Basin Water Quality Trading Project; New Environmental Mitigation Policy in British Columbia, Canada; and Effectiveness of Biodiversity Banking from Perspective of Japan)

11:30 am – 1:45 pm
Luncheon Plenary Session: Trends in Banking
Steve Morgan will be the Moderator for this Luncheon Plenary on banking trends (3 Topics: ILF Programs Nationally & the Movement to Utilize ILF Funds to Purchase Mitigation Banking Credits; Louisiana Restoration and Contracting; and Mitigation Banking Industry: Growing Shrinking or Consolidating?)

Wildlands’ Director of Business Development, Wayne White, is a National Mitigation Banking Association board member and has been assisting the conference steering committee in developing the agenda and preparing for two of five field trips planned as part of the conference. We looking forward to showcasing our salmon, delta smelt and longfin smelt conservation bank, the Liberty Island Conservation Bank, located in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The project involved a major tidal and flow-through channel restoration effort on the 186-acre site. The Bank is a collaborative effort between Wildlands, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and is utilized to mitigate permitted impacts to fisheries habitat throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Wildlands’ Gilsizer Slough Giant Garter Snake (GGS) Mitigation Complex will be featured on a separate tour. The Complex is comprised of over 620 acres of created and preserved wetland and open water channel habitat dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the aquatic giant garter snake. Located in Sutter County, approximately nine miles southwest of Yuba City, the Complex has been utilized by both public works agencies and private developers as a GGS mitigation solution to fulfill permit obligations.

“Wildlands is pleased to be able to continue to sponsor the National Mitigation Banking Conference as we have for the past 12 plus years,” said Steve Morgan, Wildlands CEO. “The assemblage of mitigation bankers, state and federal regulators and affiliated parties has proven to be a valuable vehicle to refine, strengthen, and grow our unique industry. As always we feel very great full to be apart of the mitigation banking industry as well as the Mitigation Banking Association.”

For more information on the National Mitigation & Ecosystem Banking Conference, please visit their website.

As a founding partner, Wildlands joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset.
Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center will function as a model for 21st-century experiential STEM education (science, math, technology, engineering, space) and environmental stewardship. The design will be an exemplary “green” building that serves as an environmental teaching lab.

“Wildlands has been protecting environmental resources in the Sacramento region for over twenty years and, we are so pleased to partner with the Powerhouse Science Center to continue raising awareness of the importance of science, math and engineering. These are all disciplines we employ everyday at Wildlands. The Powerhouse Science Center can help be a breeding ground for future conservationists, scientists and engineers who can contribute to the overall environmental health and well-being of our region,” said Brian Monaghan, Project Director for Wildlands.

Wildlands joins the regional effort to create a home for a high-tech, hands-on science museum for the Greater Sacramento region that will immerse children in science, technology, engineering, and math. The Powerhouse Science Center will play a key role in inspiring young people to become the future engineers and scientists that California and our nation desperately need.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome aboard Wildlands as one of our founding partners,” said Michele Wong, Interim Executive Director for the Powerhouse Science Center. “Wildlands brings unique environmental expertise necessary to our goal of transforming a historic Sacramento landmark into a cutting edge educational center, featuring a museum, planetarium, restaurant, and conference center. The Powerhouse Science Center is a tremendous collaborative effort between many dedicated groups and individuals that are all playing a significant role in making this vision of a premier science education center become a reality.”

Supporters of the Powerhouse Science Center include business and civic leaders, clubs and organizations, individuals, and the City of Sacramento. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson recognizes this project as a top priority for Sacramento’s future.

The facility will serve as a public forum, showcasing the latest scientific discoveries in a venue accessible to the entire family. The Center will highlight the scientific achievements of the Sacramento region, the latest developments in medical science and technology, and the fundamentals of resource conservation. It will also be a field trip destination for pre-kindergarten to 12th grade students from throughout the region.

The Center, which will cost an estimated $50 million, has nearly completed its pre-construction phase. The 61-year old Discovery Museum Science & Space Center on Auburn Boulevard is scheduled to move from its current location and become the Powerhouse Science Center in 2014.

For more information on the Powerhouse Science Center, including how to become a Founding Partner, visit www.powerhousesciencecenter.org.

A recent epidemic has occurred throughout the upper San Francisco estuary, schools of Chinook salmon have been tormenting delta smelt. These salmon, which are typically adults migrating up to spawn or smolts heading out to sea, have been making a previously unscheduled stop on their journey. It is unknown how the feud originally started; some speculate that an elder smelt and a juvenile salmon were fighting over the same piece of detritus, and things escalated quickly from there. Regardless of its origin it has gotten way out of hand and needs to be stopped.

Although the adult Chinooks constantly remind the smelt of how badly they swim and how they will never get to travel to the exotic coastal destinations, the smolts are by far the worst. At first they started out by making fun of the smelts name Hypomesus transpacificus, stating how they are super messy and pointing out the obvious of how the smelt will never make a transpacific journey. Soon they pointed out the smelt’s smell which sources say is like “Putrid Cucumbers,” coining the phrase, “you smelt it you dealt it,” a clever play on “delta smelt.” Another common phrase uttered by smolts is, “O instead of E gets you out to sea.” Just plain rotten!

I don’t know what the future holds for the relationship between the delta smelt and Chinook salmon. I like to believe their problems can be worked on and ultimately be worked out. Fortunately for the delta smelt and Chinook salmon there are safe places like Wildlands’ Liberty Island Conservation Bank, where these species can coexist and discuss their differences. I think with a little bit of time and a little hard work they will learn that there is enough detritus in the delta for everyone.

Surveys conducted over the last 5 years have revealed the presence of listed vernal pool invertebrates in over 20% of the created pools, far exceeding the Bank’s performance standard requirement. Only in its 6th year of operation, the North Suisun Mitigation Bank has attained all “Year 10” performance standards, demonstrating the ecological success of the Bank.

Founded in 2000, WHF is a local non-profit corporation that provides land conservation services and is dedicated to preserving California’s open spaces, agricultural land, and diverse wildlife. SARSAS was formed with the mission “to return salmon and steelhead to the entire length of the Auburn Ravine.”

For more information about either organization click here: WHF or SARSAS.

I have noticed that many of the species that we conserve habitat for here at Wildlands have names that paint a less than clear picture of what to expect, should you be lucky enough to encounter one of them in the wild.  Typically, I’m not the kind of guy who watches over his shoulder for black helicopters, but the strategy that was used to name these animals leads me to believe there may be some methodology that isn’t purely scientific.

I’m talking about the naming process used at the Federal Administration for Kin names of Endangered species (FAKE).  Through my research I have not been able to pinpoint the exact procedure FAKE uses to name these species.  All I have been able to conclude is that their naming process is allusive and in the best interest of the species.

The species that hits closest to home for me is the Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gigas) (GGS).  Yes it is a garter snake, but the name “Giant” conjures up images of the movie Anaconda to most people.  If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it ten times that someone has seen a “Giant” garter snake because it was this long (usually standing with outstretched arms).  Most of the time this simply isn’t the case; although true GGS’s can become quite large for garter snakes (up to 65 inches), a large one in the wild is closer to the three foot mark and is typically about the same size as other garter snakes in the area.

As expected GGS have other distinguishing characteristics that set them apart from other garter snakes, but size is not a one of them.  My hat is off to FAKE for their successful concealment of the GGS’s true identity.  This simple name is enough to detour most common folks from harassment of the GGS, for fear of ending up at the mercy of this supposedly gigantic beast.

Next on the FAKE most concealed species list is the Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi).  This name selection brink’s on the outer edge of genius for its misdirection and counterintuitive thought.  When I picture this little guy my mind goes in two directions.  The first direction I picture myself hauling a BBQ out to a vernal pool with a bottle of cocktail sauce, the other I picture myself tossing a freshly pulled tooth in the vernal pool, just to come back the next day to get my dollar (or whatever teeth are going for these days).  Also this species genus name (Branchinecta) gives me the feeling that if I’m not careful I will end up with a broken neck.  I don’t quite understand why, but it makes me want to make sure they stay protected.  FAKE, another job well done.

Last but certainly not least on the FAKE name list is the San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica).  Yes, I realize that the name San Joaquin Kit Fox does a pretty good job of describing a Kit Fox.  It’s a small fox with ears that are way to big and they are just as cute as can be, I get it.  So instead of analyzing the name, I like to picture a the Kit Fox driving around San Joaquin County in KITT from Night Rider.  Just imagine that same little fox with sunglasses, cruising San Joaquin County from Thornton down to Ripon in the second coolest Trans-Am (The Bandits Trans-Am is #1) ever to be on television.  That puts a smile on my face and makes me want to do whatever I can to ensure the longevity of the San Joaquin Kit Fox.

On the behalf of myself and the rest of the biological community, I would like to thank FAKE for their efforts in naming threatened and endangered species.  Without their hard work and dedication these species would go un-named, or at least have ones that make sense.

After years of dedicated participation and active enjoyment, Skip was excited to hear that he had beaten the competition for the coveted three-year position. According to the Chapter Charter, his first year will be spent as the “President Elect,” followed by one year as “Active President,” and his final year of service as “Past President.”

Over the course of his tenure, Skip hopes to facilitate an increase in membership through more efficient marketing, more successful and poignant training and workshops, and more enjoyable professional development and volunteer opportunities. If you have any ideas or opportunities for Skip and the San Joaquin Valley Chapter, please contact him at rmoss@wildlandsinc.com.

Congratulations Skip, and good luck on helping your Chapter grow, develop, and improve under your leadership.

The 186-acre restoration project focused on tidal aquatic habitat suitable for special-status fish species. The Liberty Island Conservation Bank is a collaborative effort between Wildlands, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and will mitigate permitted impacts to fisheries habitat throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Bank is protected with a permanent conservation easement and a non-wasting long-term endowment to manage the property in perpetuity.

Watch the Liberty Island Restoration Project video case study:

The development of the project comes at a crucial time when varied environmental and water interests throughout California debate the current health and long term future of the Delta. All parties can agree that projects like Liberty Island are critical to the sustainability of the Delta as both an ecosystem and an economic engine for the State.

“There is a lot of attention being focused on habitat restoration in the Delta. Wildlands is proud to actually be implementing a needed restoration project in an area most agree is critically important to the continued survival of listed fish species like salmon, longfin smelt and Delta smelt,” said Steve Morgan, Wildlands CEO. “The approval and construction of this project is a true credit to all the talented and varied disciplines at Wildlands. Our planning, biology and design/build groups have put forth a remarkable effort to get this critically important project built.”

Restoration at Liberty Island called for developing a mosaic of habitats beneficial to Delta native fish species. The construction included creating open water channels, tidal emergent marsh, seasonally inundated floodplain habitats and removing levees which impeded tidal and flood flow. In all over 190,000 cubic yards of material was moved to complete the project.

The project was a complex permitting and construction effort that involved input from a multitude of agencies and consultants.  “The design was a collaborative effort. The resource agencies, particularly NMFS, FWS and DFG, provided significant input in developing the restoration design and overall management of the project. Agency input and expertise is critical for all of our projects,” said Carl Jensen, Wildlands Director of Design Build.

Earthmoving was done by Chris Galloway Construction of Davis, California, who has developed a significant track record of habitat restoration projects working with Wildlands.

“One of the main challenges was just getting equipment on to the island,” said Chris Galloway, owner of Chris Galloway Construction. “Since access to the island is limited, we had to barge our heavy equipment to the project one piece at a time.”

“Earthwork on habitat restoration projects can be especially challenging because you are working in close proximity to water and getting the proper grading elevation is crucial to the success of the project,” continued Jensen. “Chris Galloway uses state of the art GPS-enabled equipment to ensure exact grades down to the inch.”

Additional Delta restoration projects are planned by Wildlands in 2011 and 2012. “We predict sizable need for a company like Wildlands to implement restoration projects throughout the Delta and we have developed a proven team who can act quickly and effectively,” said Morgan.

“The approval of these four banks further broadens our mitigation inventory and will allow us to continue to assist our Northern California public and private developer clients responsibly meet their mitigation obligations,” said Brian Monaghan, Project Director at Wildlands.  “These recent approvals are not only a testament to our top notch bank entitlement team, but also to our natural resource agency partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG).  They have provided valuable input and support throughout the approval process.”

Details of the four projects:
• 100-acre Phase III expansion of the River Ranch Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle Conservation Bank in Yolo County by USFWS. This is the expansion of a successful preserve dedicated to the recovery of the Beetle.

• 148-acre Liberty Island Native Fisheries Conservation Bank is approved to mitigate impacts to native delta fish including delta smelt and listed salmon.  The project has been approved by NMFS, USFWS and CDFG.  The project is approved to mitigate impacts to native fish habitat throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta.

• 1,630-acre Toad Hill Ranch, located in western Placer County, has been approved to mitigate for impacts to wetlands and listed vernal pool crustaceans by the USACE, USEPA, and USFWS; and for impacts to Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat by the County of Placer.  The project will create and restore over 95 acres of wetlands and vernal pools; and preserve over 1,600 acres of Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat.

• 113-acre River Ranch Wetlands Mitigation Bank is approved by the USACE, USEPA, and CDFG to mitigate permitted impacts to wetlands in Western Placer County, Northern Sacramento County and Yolo County.

With the number of banks currently being operated by Wildlands, the company has developed an on-line mitigation search engine on the company’s web page that allows permit applicants and their consulting teams to accurately determine which Wildlands mitigation bank may service their project.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback from project proponents on our mitigation search engine, but it certainly will not replace the one-on-one customer service our clients expect,” remarked Monaghan.
As Wildlands approaches its 20th year in business, several additional California banks are slated for approval in 2011. These include new projects throughout Southern California to help the state meet future growth and infrastructure needs.

Environmental regulations, including the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act, are far from ambiguous in requiring that impacts to the public’s natural resources must be mitigated. As straightforward as that may be, it becomes complicated when responsible project proponents, progressive consultants, and equitable regulators are figuring out exactly how to satisfy those mitigation requirements.

Mitigation Portal Welcome Screen

With these industry complexities in mind, we are excited to announce the launch of our new Wildlands Mitigation and Conservation Bank mapping tool, the “Mitigation Portal”. This web-based mapping application is the first of its kind, and will become an invaluable resource in your research of mitigation solutions.

Wildlands’ Mitigation Portal is an easily pannable and searchable mapping and satellite imagery tool that will bring the habitat mitigation and species mitigation world to your fingertips. Created with a user-friendly and intuitive interface, the Wildlands Mitigation Portal was designed with agency personnel, project proponents, and the environmental conservation community at large in mind.

Conservation Bank and Mitigation Bank Search Menu

The Mitigation Portal will allow you to easily:

• Access habitat and species mitigation projects

• Pan and search map and satellite imagery

• Search by bank type (credit or habitat type)

• Search by location

By clicking the name of any Bank, a pop-up window conveniently displays all of that bank’s pertinent information including credit types, acreages, service areas, approving agencies, pictures and more. Using this Mitigation Portal, you will be better informed regarding all potential mitigation solutions available, making you the mitigation expert.

Explore the new Mitigation Portal

Questions about our new Mitigation Portal?  Contact us today.

Click on your Bank and credit type of choice to see the approved Service Area for that mitigation credit. Pictured: Service area for Gilsizer Slough South Giant Garter Snake Conservation Bank, Sutter County, CA.

Switch between the "Map" and "Satellite" views to enhance your geographic perspective of our protected landscapes. Pictured: Musket Bay Mitigation Bank in southeast Georgia.