SUMMARY


Accomplished in a wide variety of fisheries, wildlife, watershed, gravel extraction, and forestry work on public and private land.  Extensive experience in fish habitat and impact assessment, fish species composition and distribution, downstream migrant fish trapping, electrofishing studies, riparian condition surveys, water temperature monitoring, road-related erosion and sediment source inventories, and culvert risk analysis.  Conducted surveys for several different fish species, northern spotted owls, northern goshawks, southern torrent salamanders, Del Norte salamanders, yellow-legged frogs, red-legged frogs, tailed frogs, and western pond turtles.  Prepared fisheries and watershed sections for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), federal and private Watershed Analyses, Environmental Assessments (EA), Biological Assessments/Biological Evaluations (BA/BE), and watershed rehabilitation plans.  Involved in a Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) and contributed to various California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents.  Participated in several Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultations with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Staff Fisheries Biologist, Natural Resources Management Corporation, Eureka, California (1993-present).

Biological Technician, U.S. Forest Service, Six Rivers National Forest, Lower Trinity Ranger District, Willow Creek, California (1992-1993).

Owner/Operator, Sea Harvest Shellfish Company, Humboldt Bay, California (1986-1991).

Commercial Fisherman, Various fishing companies, Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, (1979-1986).

 

EDUCATION

B.S. (1980).  Fisheries Biology, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California

 

PROJECT EXPERIENCE

Consulting Experience

·         Project leader, fisheries, riparian, and tribal trust analyst for the 78,000-acre mainstem Trinity River watershed analysis on the Six Rivers National Forest (2002-2003).

·         Conducted a fisheries impact assessment on Alpine Creek for a proposed 30-unit subdivision on Saddle Mountain, Sonoma County (2003).

·         Developed fisheries and riparian impact analyses for the Jackson Demonstration State Forest, California Environmental Impact Report (2002).

·         Co-author of a Biological Assessment (BA) that analyzed potential impacts to coho and chinook salmon and steelhead trout from instream gravel extraction operations Eel, Van Duzen, Mad, and Trinity River watersheds, California.  Participated in ESA Section 7 consultation with the COE and NMFS (2002).

·         Produced a stream inventory and impact assessment report for the Del Rio Woods Recreation and Park District summer dam on the Russian River, California.  Involved in consultations with the Regional Water Quality Control Board for a Clean Water Act section 401 permit and ESA Section 7 consultation with the COE and NMFS (2001-2002).

·         Project leader for a Regional Fish Passage Survey.  Work consisted of inventory, data collection, and data entry of all road stream crossings within fish bearing range of  anadromous watersheds within the Klamath, Six Rivers, Shasta-Trinity, Lassen, Mendocino, and Los Padres national forests (2001-2002).

·         Produced a Biological Assessment/Evaluation (BA/BE) for the Woodchopper Salvage and Restoration Project on the Klamath National Forest, California.  The BA/BE included assessment of impacts to salmonids, critical habitat, and essential fish habitat.  Participated in ESA Section 7 consultation (2001).

·         Project leader for a riparian timber and large woody debris (LWD) inventory for the redwood zone of Northern California.  Project identified source distances for LWD entering streams from various input processes in logged and unlogged second growth forests (2001-2003).

·         Conducts instream habitat typing, juvenile salmonid, spawner and carcass count surveys on numerous streams throughout Northwest California (1993-present).

·         Fisheries team leader and riparian co-leader for the development of a watershed analysis on private land within the 27,000 acre Freshwater Creek basin, Humboldt County, California (1999-2001).

·         NRM team leader for the production of two watershed analyses (Hidden Valley and Middle Hayfork/Salt creeks) for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California. The analyses included assessments of mass wasting and surface erosion, hydrology, stream channel response, riparian and fisheries habitat as well as development of management and restoration recommendations on 240,000 acres (1999-2001).

·         Produced three biological assessments analyzing potential impacts to threatened salmonids from instream gravel extraction operations in the Middle Reach and Alexander Valley of the Russian River, California.  The projects included ESA Section 7 consultations with the COE and NMFS as well as project meetings with the California Department of Fish and Game  (1998-2002).

·         Conducted fisheries entrapment analyses on three separate terrace pit gravel extraction operations along the Middle Reach of the Russian River, California.  The project included consultations with NMFS and CDF&G (1998-1999).

·         Project and team leader for the production of a watershed analysis on a 29,000 acre landholding in the lower Gualala River, California.  Analysis includes assessments of mass wasting and surface erosion potential, hydrology, stream channel response, and fisheries habitat.  Field surveys included juvenile salmonid dives, large woody debris surveys, Wolman pebble counts, and fish habitat inventories (1997-1999).

·         Project leader on the development and implementation of a multi-year biological monitoring program on 20 miles of the Russian River that includes several instream gravel mining operations.  The program includes various survey protocols relating to botanical, fisheries, avian, and amphibian resources (1998-present).

·         Fisheries team leader for a 6-month fish trapping project at the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District surface pumps on the Mad River.  The project involved trap design, as well as the identification and enumeration of aquatic species entrained on a rotating fish screen.  The data was to be used in the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan for the water district (1998).

·         Conducted the fisheries and watershed effects analysis for the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Cold Springs Environmental Impact Statement in Wyoming (1997-1998).

·         Developed the fisheries and watershed sections for the ESA and NEPA documentation of the Ribar Timberlands, Inc. Northern Spotted Owl/ Salmonid Habitat Conservation Plan (1997-1998).

·         Project leader for the development of a watershed rehabilitation plan on 7,500 acres in the upper Redwood Creek basin, Humboldt County.  This project included a road erosion and sediment source inventory, treatment prescriptions, and rehabilitation cost estimates (1996-1998).

·         Project leader for development of a Biological Assessment that analyzed potential impacts to salmonid resources from instream gravel operations on the lower Mad, Van Duzen, Eel and Trinity rivers.  Participated in the ESA Section 7 consultation for the Clean Water Act 404 permit with NMFS and COE (1996-1997).

·         Conducted fisheries and watershed effects analyses for the Robinson Salvage and Thinning Project Environmental Assessment,  Plumas National Forest, and participated in the analyses for transportation and heritage issues for the project (1996).

·         Project leader in the development of a watershed rehabilitation plan on approximately 20,000 acres for the Bureau of Land Management in the Honeydew and Bear Creek watersheds, King Range National Conservation Area, California.  Project consisted of aerial photograph interpretation, a landslide and erosion history, 100 year flood flow culvert risk analysis on the active road system, road sediment source inventory, road maintenance recommendations, and cost estimates for conducting rehabilitation operations (1995-1996).

·         Participated in the development and implementation of fisheries, avian, riparian, amphibian, and reptilian monitoring protocols for gravel extraction operations in the Van Duzen, Eel, and Mad rivers in Humboldt County, California.  Team participants included representatives from USFWS, COE, NMFS, CDF&G, and private consulting firms (1996-2001).

·         Conducted a fisheries impact assessment in the lower Eel and Van Duzen rivers for a proposed gravel extraction project.  The report identified fish species presence, run timing, habitat requirements, potential impacts from gravel operations, need for monitoring, enhancement opportunities, and future management considerations. This work contributed to the Leland Rock Aggregate Extraction Project EIR and Biological Evaluation (1995-1996).

·         Prepared the fisheries and watershed portions of an environmental assessment for Harwood Investment Corp. on the 11,000 acre Big Bend Ranch, Covelo, California (1995).

·         Conducted several training sessions for biologists and foresters in the identification of southern torrent (Olympic) salamanders and their habitats in Northwest California (1995).

·         Prepared over 50 watershed and fisheries cumulative effects analyses for a variety of large industrial and small non-industrial timberland owners.  Analysis includes determination and mitigation of impacts to soils, riparian areas, fish spawning and rearing habitat, water temperatures, amphibian habitat, peak flows, and other factors.  Clients include Arcata Redwood Company, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, Harwood Investment Corp., Pacific Lumber Company, Ribar Timberlands, MMV Ranch, Russ Estates, and others (1993-present).

·         Conducts surveys for northern spotted owls, northern goshawks, Pacific fishers, red-legged frogs, yellow-legged frogs, tailed frogs, southern torrent salamanders, Del Norte salamanders, and western pond turtles on large industrial and small non-industrial landholdings in northern California (1993-present).

·         Project leader for a fish species composition, distribution, and habitat assessment on the 14,500 acre Wetsel-Oviatt landholding in El Dorado County, California.  This inventory included electrofishing studies, long-term temperature monitoring, riparian canopy conditions, aerial photograph interpretation, habitat typing, substrate composition, instream shelter complexity, and a general description of factors affecting stream productivity in each drainage. A list of mitigation measures was also developed to help offset potential future adverse impacts (1993).

Other Relevant Experience

·         Team member of a crew conducting a road, culvert, and landing sediment source inventory on the Lower Trinity Ranger District, Six Rivers National Forest, California for the USFS (1993).

·         Conducted basin level habitat typing and fish population estimates for the USFS using the Hankin and Reeves methodology (1992).

·         Conducted pre-project level habitat typing for the USFS prior to the installation of instream habitat structures in Willow and Horse Linto creeks, Humboldt County, California (1992).

·         Installed and monitored juvenile salmonid downstream migrant traps on Willow and Horse Linto creeks, Humboldt County for the USFS (1992).

·         Designed and supervised the construction of instream habitat structures in Horse Linto Creek for the USFS.  Worked with the California Conservation Corps on the installation of the structures.  Work plans were digitized using Design CAD-2D (1992).

·         Designed and drew up a contract for a migration barrier modification project on Willow Creek, Humboldt County for the USFS.  Work plans were produced using Design CAD-2D.  Wrote the Biological Evaluation (BE) for the project (1992-1993).

·         Performed contract work for Thomas R. Payne and Associates.  Duties consisted of assisting in data collection for instream flow, weighted usable area, and electrofishing studies (1991).

·         Owned and operated an oyster mariculture company.  Duties included construction of all rafts, racks, sorting tables, and other materials necessary for the operation.  Responsible for raising oysters from seed to market size, keeping the company books, advertising, marketing, permitting, and maintaining a working relationship with the various county, state, and federal agencies responsible for oversight of this type of business (1986-1991).

·         Served as a deckhand and first mate on high seas fishing vessels in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea  (1979-1986).

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING / COURSE WORK

Attended numerous workshops on watershed rehabilitation, sediment source inventories, watershed analysis, water temperatures, and fisheries monitoring techniques (1992-present).

Completed CDF&G Stream Habitat Typing Course (1994).

Trained in conducting timber inventories (1994).

CDF&G Certified Trainer on identification of southern torrent (Olympic) salamanders and their habitats (1995).

Attended conference on vineyard land use planning, fish friendly farming and erosion control techniques (2001).

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Salmonid Restoration Federation

American Fisheries Society

President and Member of the Board of Directors of the McKinleyville Land Trust

 

PERMITS

Federal Coho Salmon Section 10 Research Permit #1039M1

California Scientific Collectors Permit #2635