Habitat Restoration & Management
EcoLogic Solutions is passionate about working with communities and agencies to meet the challenge of preserving and restoring living systems within local communities and the natural environment. Our expert team identifies and designs sustainable habitat restoration opportunities, navigates regulations, and collaborates with vital stakeholders to ensure your project’s success.
“Ken proved an essential partner to advance New York City research on wild bird migration, population studies, and habitat protection.”
—Kathryn Heintz, Executive Director, NYC Audubon
Services Provided
State and Federal Agency Collaboration
Environmental Permitting, Monitoring & Enforcement
Wetland, Tidal Marsh & Stream Restoration
Project & Program Management
Construction and Contractor Monitoring & Management
Environmental Assessment & Site Selection
Environmental Permitting, Monitoring & Enforcement
Regulatory Compliance
Interagency Coordination
Habitat restoration improves the functioning of natural habitats ecosystems degraded by human activities such as infrastructure projects, raw material extraction, pollution, contamination, encroachment of invasive species, and climate change.
Meadowlands Environmental Improvement Program, New Jersey
Assembled and led an interdisciplinary team to permanently protect and restore approximately 650 acres of degraded intertidal wetlands within the New Jersey Meadowlands. Enhanced the fish and wildlife habitat, created passive recreation opportunities, and provided compensatory mitigation for impacts from various transportation and real estate projects.
New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program
As a member of the Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee and Biomonitoring Work Group supported the creation of the Final Comprehensive Conservation & Management Plan (CCMP) to protect and conserve estuaries and ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act for the residents and businesses on shared waterways. Represented the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on the Restoration Work Group, charged with compiling, prioritizing, and facilitating the CCMP.
Forest Management Plan for New York State Lands in Richmond County, New York
Developed a comprehensive plan to restore degraded forests on Staten Island. The plan includes fencing of properties to prevent white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) deforestation, eradication of invasive species, planting and maintenance of native species, and interpretive/educational signage & programming, and community involvement. Deer removal will be accomplished by expert crossbow hunters (discharge of firearms is prohibited in NYC), and meat will be distributed to homeless shelters and food pantries.
Mitigation banks are wetlands, streams, and aquatic resource areas that are proactively preserved, restored, or enhanced in anticipation of unavoidable project impacts to natural habitats. This process can reduce project uncertainties and prevent unforeseen delays and cost overruns by eliminating the need to implement costly and lengthy individual compensatory mitigation projects. These are accomplished in advance by a third-party bank operator. Mitigation banks can be for-profit or established by one or more government agencies.
Mill Creek Combined Wetlands Mitigation, New Jersey
Mill Creek is a 200-acre wetland mitigation area that offsets permitted fill materials associated with transportation infrastructure development projects in marsh areas found within the Hackensack Meadowlands District. Worked with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the US Army Corps of Engineers to plan, fund, monitor, and maintain the project. It includes the Mill Creek Marsh Trail, which accesses the remains of an ancient Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, three miles of canoeable channels, and protected waterfowl nesting islands. Provided compensatory mitigation for improvements at Liberty International and Teterboro Airports and the NJ Turnpike, the re-routing NJ Highway 120, and constructing the Frank J Lautenberg Amtrak rail station.
Atlantic City Airport Grasslands Restoration Plan, New Jersey
Created a Habitat Restoration and Management Plan for a grassland and threatened/endangered species mitigation bank on behalf of the South Jersey Transportation Authority. The plan included evaluating methods to eliminate shrubs and invasive vegetation and making recommendations, as well as utilizing the Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) to monitor and improve the habitats of integral native species: upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and the state-threatened frosted elfin (Callophrys irus) butterfly.
Marsh Resources Wetlands Mitigation Bank, New Jersey
Initiated the concept of this mitigation bank and served on the interagency Mitigation Bank Review Team (MBRT) that reviewed the proposal for this 350-acre inter-tidal marsh wetland mitigation bank on the Hackensack River, owned and operated by a subsidiary of Williams Energy. Applied the Indicator Value Assessment (IVA) model to compare baseline conditions to the restored state and assign ecological value to mitigation credits. Generated mitigation credits by eradicating an invasive species, the common reed (Phragmites australis), and restoring an intertidal high salt marsh ecosystem dominated by salt hay (Panicum stricta).
Compensatory mitigation projects require monitoring and maintenance to ensure success and continued adherence to regulatory requirements. Baseline monitoring of pre-project and pre-mitigation conditions is often crucial to quantify project impacts and determine appropriate compensation. In addition, site monitoring can inform project designs to avoid and reduce future environmental impacts.
Middle Thorofare Bridge Migratory Bird Monitoring, New Jersey
Supervised the New Jersey Audubon Society’s collection of migratory bird monitoring using RADAR to evaluate the potential impacts of a proposed cable-stayed bridge on birds during migration. Participated in the Middle Thorofare Bridge Advisory Committee and the conception of a National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment (NEPA) document.
Bonifant Road Wetland Creation, Maryland
Supervised implementation of this freshwater wetland creation project as partial advance compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts resulting from the Intercounty Connector (MD 200) highway construction. Supervised the post-construction monitoring to determine wetland functionality and compliance with wetland permit conditions.
Mill Creek Restoration Monitoring, New Jersey
Designed and supervised pre-restoration biomonitoring, including the construction of towers to facilitate documentation of birds’ use within tall, dense vegetation; fish usage; plant community, and hydrology monitoring to establish baseline conditions for a 200-acre wetland restoration project. Created the post-restoration monitoring protocols to be implemented by Rutgers University and oversaw their implementation.
Compensatory mitigation projects require a conservation easement, deed restriction, or equivalent preservation agreement. Conservation planning is an essential component of environmental restoration projects and can be helpful in estate planning and in reducing real estate taxes.
Harrier Meadow Wetlands Preservation and Restoration Project, New Jersey
Negotiated the purchase and conservation of an intertidal wetland site zoned for real estate development within the New Jersey Meadowlands. Protected the site throughout a Conservation Easement. Preserved twenty-five acres of a rare high saltmarsh habitat and restored fifty acres of freshwater wetlands. Provided public access through the hiking trail, bird blinds, and interpretive signage. This project offered compensatory mitigation for comprehensive Conrail CSX railway improvements.
Mill Creek Marsh, New Jersey
Collaborated with the NJ Meadowlands Commission, US Army Corps of Engineers, Hartz Mountain Industries, and various transportation agencies to plan, secure funding and approvals for and acquire this 200-acre site zoned for development. Protected the site through a Conservation Easement, restored fish and wildlife habitat, and created a series of hiking and canoe trails with interpretive signage.
Saw Mill Creek Wetlands Park, New York
Collaborated with the New York City Parks Department to preserve and restore Staten Island’s salt marshes and wetlands and create the City’s first-ever park devoted exclusively to the habitat of an array of species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, pollinators, and mammals. Represented the NYSDEC on the interagency Mitigation Bank Review Team (MBRT) that reviewed the design established mitigation credits, and oversaw the restoration of salt marshes, mudflats, and waterways through native species planting, invasive species removal, and channel excavation.
Human disturbance and neglect of the local natural environment lead to a proliferation of nuisance plant and wildlife species that impact the survival of entire ecosystems. Effective solutions require an integrated approach involving the scientific community, regulatory and non-profit sectors, as well as community and political partnerships and involvement. Our team has proven leadership in the preparation and implementation of these critical projects.
Skeetkill Creek Wetland Restoration, New Jersey
Oversaw the restoration of a 16+ acre compensatory mitigation site by eradicating the invasive common reed (Phragmites australis), excavating channels, and planting a native low saltmarsh habitat dominated by smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). This resolved an enforcement action filed against a real estate developer by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers. On behalf of the developer, worked synergistically with Local, State, and Federal agencies and stakeholders to choose project designs, site locations, negotiate funding and compliance agreements.
Eastern Coyote Standard Operating Procedures, New York
The eastern coyote (Canis latrans) has colonized regions of New York City, leading to human-coyote conflicts at an increasing rate. To avoid and diffuse negative interactions while conserving this critical resource, designed a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be used by both the State of New York and New York City.
North American Beaver Management Plan, New York
The state mammal, the North American beaver (Castor canadensis), was eradicated from New York City more than two hundred years ago but has recently re-colonized several NYC areas. This resurgence is celebrated; however, their propensity for altering drainage patterns causes damage to roadways and imperils the City’s Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management System. Partnered with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection to draft a management plan for NYSDEC to address and alleviate human-beaver conflicts.
