Wetland Services

Assisting in wetland and jurisdictional determinations and preparation of challenges to wetland determinations. Analysis of property to determine where wetland and other ecological habitats, attributes, and/or impacts may exist.

Design, development, and implementation of wetland and habitat mitigation banking. Assistance on relevant issues of mitigation banking including development, regulatory, administrative, sales, marketing, maintenance, monitoring, post-project disposition, and public relations. Expert testimony and preparation and legislative support for all phases of mitigation banking.

Assistance with wetland permitting including federal, state and local requirements, related regulatory approvals such as archeological and historic preservation impacts, mitigation requirements, public policy presentations, and other public and stakeholder interface. Support of the preparation, and prosecution of litigation to contest permit denials where applicable.

Expert testimony, expert witness support and preparation, and testimony on matters related to land valuation arising from flood mapping, inaccurate flood designations, flood map revisions and amendments, land use and zoning related to flood designations, comprehensive planning, and other related regulatory interface. Impact evaluation following flooding and other related disasters and interface with other environmental issues such as wetlands, environmental habitats, and contaminants. Advice with respect to evaluations by appraisers as related to correct or inaccurate flood zone or flood elevation designations.

Liaison, interface, negotiation, regulatory approvals, permitting, claims settlement, and litigation support involving all components of wetland and other ecological habitats. Corporate interface and other support with respect to local, state, and federal governmental bodies with respect to issues involving wetland and other ecological land use and valuation issues.

Identify and interface with potential charitable donees of mitigation banks and conservation areas and provide advice on structuring such donations. Interface with attorneys, appraisers, and tax consultants with respect to the regulatory and legal approaches to gain favorable valuations and tax treatment.

Assistance and support to corporate and governmental owners of unimproved land portfolios on strategies to create revenues from ecological projects. These strategies include mitigation banking, converting contaminated properties to for-profit eco-developments and/or developable land, public-private partnerships, and charitable contributions. Develop and implement related public relations and goodwill creation strategies.

Assistance and support regarding and implementation of ecology-based strategies to unlock revenue from land that it is not economically feasible to develop. These strategies include mitigation banking, converting contaminated properties to for-profit eco-developments and/or developable land, public-private partnerships, and charitable contributions. Develop and implement related public relations and goodwill creation strategies.

Preparation as a consultant, advisor and partner of exit strategies and land enhancement capabilities relating to private and corporate land portfolios relative to wetland and other environmentally impacted properties. Opportunities for utilization of contaminated and distressed land including for-profit strategies such as mitigation banking, eco-trades and other swapping capabilities as well as charitable contributions for tax enhancement. Review of corporate real estate portfolios for mitigation and valuation opportunities as well as exploration of community and not-for-profit organization interface. Preparation of public relations and goodwill creation strategies.

Review, analysis and confirmation of appropriate flood elevations and risks associated with particular land parcels. GIS, tax parcel and other designated information to assist in detailed determinations of actual flood elevations. Surveying, benchmark and other designator reviews to confirm accuracy of elevation designations and to prepare for elevation challenges.

Representation of communities with respect to all map revision matters and community-wide re-mapping efforts. Interface with federal agencies such as FEMA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in obtaining financial support and timely updated flood maps. Legislative interface in obtaining funding for community mapping as well as significant funding for flood reduction projects.