Environmental Science Associates

Whether he’s piloting drones high up in the skies, or gathering crucial data on the ground below, Geospatial Service Manager Jason Nielsen is a true expert in spatial data management and beyond. An employee-owner for 19 years, Jason supports ESA’s team of GIS professionals, leading project management, mobile data collection deployment, field data collection, and cartographic services. Jason is also passionate about supporting ESA’s early-career professionals and co-leads ESA’s Mentorship Program in Southern California. Outside the office, you’ll find him on the links at Torrey Pines, belting out some karaoke tunes with his San Diego colleagues, and working to make the office’s kickball game an annual tradition. “I feel fortunate to have such an amazing team to support and collaborate with every day!” he says. Get to know more about Jason in our Employee Owner Spotlight: https://lnkd.in/gBzZve5x #EmployeeOwnerSpotlight #EmployeeOwner #GIS #GeospatialAnalyst #DronePilot #Drones #GeospatialData

We're grateful for our fantastic interns! This summer, we’re thrilled to have 14 interns who have joined us across all four of ESA’s regions, pursuing their interests in engineering, environmental work, planning, GIS, marketing, accounting, and business management. ESA’s internship program provides interns with hands-on, practical experience to develop their skills and work alongside experienced professionals, and provide a glimpse into the many types of careers in environmental consulting. Like Stefanie Lehner, a current Miami University master’s student in conservation biology who has gained biological experience assisting rare plant, nesting bird, and burrowing owl surveys and even had a close encounter with a mountain lion! “My experience so far at ESA has been really great. I’ve been able to get a ton of experience with different aspects of the job, and I’ve been able to do a bunch of different types of field work,” she shares. “Coming into this I really didn’t know much about consulting at all, so I think it’s been good to be able to get that experience.” Thanks to our 2024 cohort: Linden Cheek, Jessica McKay, Malcolm Silva, Alissa Lun, Stefanie Lehner, Elena Mathew, Leila Yee, Broderick Beckert, Shina Cortez Garcia, Christina Keegan, Trevor Lau, Olivia Pereyra, Ryan Perry, and Alejandra Guzmán, for all your hard work and teamwork at ESA! #NationalInternDay #InternAppreciation #Internship #ProfessionalDevelopment #EnviromentalCareers

The Colorado River is a crucial lifeline for the West. Flowing through seven states and parts of Mexico, it supplies water to more than 40 million people. Numerous native and endangered species, including 26 species of fish only found in the Basin’s canyons, depend on the river and its tributaries. Following years of shrinking supply which are now at a “tipping point,” state and water agencies are working to reduce water use on the river through the Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Conservation Program. As these programs get underway, complex decisions must be made to balance the competing needs of protecting vulnerable species and ecosystems, and ensuring water supply for millions of downstream users. “There is an inextricable relation to how we manage water in the West—what water decisions happen in the Colorado River ripple throughout the Basin with broader ramifications,” shares Principal Scientist Ramona Swenson PhD, CERP Swenson. ESA is working closely with the Bureau throughout the three-year program. Water management and biological resources specialists have been studying the potential effects of water reduction on federally listed species and monitoring ecological impacts. Read about our ongoing work in the Colorado in the latest article: https://lnkd.in/gEr5E_Fy #ColoradoRiver #LowerColoradoConservationProgram #WaterConservation #WaterManagement #EcologicalMonitoring

💧 Thirsty to know what’s happening in the water market? Our latest ESA Connects is packed with stories centered around water management. From balancing dueling conservation needs on the Colorado River, to new tools for groundwater management and methods for stormwater capture, to building better water resiliency at the local level in the face of climate change. Quench your curiosity at the following link: https://lnkd.in/gVx-3sPU and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss out on future coverage!  https://lnkd.in/gxeDnbTA #ESAConnects #SignUpForOurNewsletter #WaterManagement #WaterSupply #WaterResilience #Aquifer #Stormwater #Groundwater #ColoradoRiver #NEPA #Wastewater

A project to restore crucial habitat for migrating Steelhead Trout and Chinook Salmon is nearly finished! 🐟 We’re excited to see construction has wrapped up at the Upper Sonoma Creek Demonstration Project at Morton’s Warm Springs in Sonoma Valley, California.   This is the first project to be constructed as part of the Upper Sonoma Creek Restoration Vision. The Sonoma Ecology Center (SEC), with support from ESA, took a watershed-scale, holistic view to identify several potential sites aimed at restoring habitat conditions for Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) across nearly 10 miles in the upper reaches of the creek. The project team reviewed past studies, performed numerous analyses, traversed miles of creek, and collaborated with landowners to identify and develop conceptual restoration plans for 16 sites. ESA then supported the SEC, advancing one of the sites through final design, permitting, environmental compliance, and construction oversight. The Upper Sonoma project, constructed by Hanford, is intended to be a demonstration project of SEC’s large-scale stream restoration Vision plan. We can’t wait to see how this area transforms in the coming years. Read more about the project at: https://lnkd.in/e4q8rKN8 #HabitatRestoration #SonomaValley #Chinook #Steelhead #StreamRestoration #EnvironmentalDesign

🏠 Small houses, huge history! On Thursday, July 25, Architectural historian Valerie Smith will delve into the lesser-known Small House Movement of the 1920s and its lasting architectural influences in the webinar “Architect Plan Books and The Small House Movement: Preserving Small Houses of the 1920s,” hosted by the California Preservation Foundation from 12 - 1pm.  Find more details about Valerie’s presentation below, and register for the free webinar at: https://lnkd.in/d5EapZku #ArchitecturalHistorian #HistoricPreservation #HistoricHomes #SantaBarbara #Architecture #CulturalResources

Good times in Marco Island, Florida, at this week’s Environmental Permitting Summer School! Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth to connect with the team and discover more about ESA’s services in aviation, energy, natural resources, transportation and water, and attended the presentations led by Julie Sullivan, Emily Keenan, and Mike Wessel. We’ll see you all again next year! Florida Environmental Network, Inc. #2024EPSS #MarcoIsland #EnvironmentalPermitting

Exciting to see the 2024 cohort of the Environmental, Engineering, and Planning Internship and Charette (EEPIC) program, kicking off with a site visit this week. Thanks to all the interns for their dedication and hard work!

Across the country, local water districts face unique challenges to maintain their water supply and provide for their communities. 💧 Factors like drought, aging infrastructure, and rising customer demand place great strains on supply and delivery systems. From California, to the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeast, ESA’s water specialists have partnered with local water districts to address the myriad of challenges they face, and are working to enhance resilience and reliability across water systems. Learn more about these projects, and how we’re working to ensure safe and reliable driving water for communities and helping to protect precious water resources, at: https://lnkd.in/gvr_Ziyt #WaterManagement #WaterSupply #WaterResiliency #EnvironmentalConsulting #WaterDistrict #Groundwater #Wastewater #AdaptiveManagement

Building more sustainable coastlines in the Northwest—it’s a shore thing! 😎 We’re thrilled to share the news that Seattle’s Lowman Beach Park Shoreline Restoration Project received the Best Restored Shore award from the ASBPA American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA). Lowman Beach Park, located in West Seattle's Morgan Junction, offers stunning views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. Beginning in 2017, ESA supported Seattle Parks and Recreation by conducting public outreach and a feasibility study, and led the engineering and design of the restoration project from concept to construction. The project was completed and opened to the public in April 2022, successfully restoring the shoreline and upland area’s ecological functions and habitat connections, while reestablishing public access to the shore. Key outcomes of the project include: 🌊  Restored Beach: The intertidal zone and upper beach now support a diverse range of marine organisms and benefit juvenile salmon and forage fish. The new coastal alignment also allows for greater adaptive capacity in the face of rising sea levels. 🌿 Coastal Vegetation: Planting coastal vegetation has successfully connected upland and nearshore ecosystems, facilitating the recruitment of additional animal and plant species. 🏞️ Pelly Creek: The daylighting of Pelly Creek has reestablished a natural freshwater flow across the shore, enhancing habitat quality and biodiversity. 🌲 Backshore Wood: The introduction of backshore wood and wrack accumulation has created habitats that support large invertebrate assemblages, providing forage for shorebirds ⚽  Recreational Activities: New large green areas have been established for leisure and relaxation, providing visitors with stunning views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula Kudos to Seattle Parks and Rec and our partners on this wonderful award recognition! Read more about this project at: https://lnkd.in/gcdj_c-2 #ShorelineRestoration #BeachRestoration #Seattle #SeattleParks #LowmanBeach #CoastalManagement #SeaLevelRise #NatureBasedSolution