Chris Blandford has over 20 years of experience as a Wildlife Biologist and Natural Resources Project Manager. He has a strong history of managing biological resource studies; conducting focused surveys for special-status amphibians, reptiles, and birds; authoring technical reports and resource-specific management plans; performing jurisdictional wetland delineations; preparing environmental documents in support of CEQA and NEPA compliance; developing regulatory permit applications pursuant to the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), California ESA, California Fish and Game Code (1600 and 2080), Clean Water Act (Section 401 and 404), and Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA); and supervising mitigation/compliance monitoring programs. Mr. Blandford has authored and reviewed over 100 biological resource documents involving detailed effects/impact analysis and development of mitigation measures, including Biological Assessments for Section 7 consultation with USFWS.  Mr. Blandford is approved by the USFWS and CDFW for conducting surveys, monitoring and handling of Mojave desert tortoise. He has conducted habitat assessments and focused wildlife surveys throughout Southern California. He has also implemented mitigation programs for large-scale projects, performed restoration compliance inspections, and trained construction field crews in environmental awareness.

Lehong Chow has more than 12 years of experience as a biologist within California and Nevada conducting focused species surveys, habitat assessments, small mammal trapping, plant and vertebrate inventories, compliance monitoring, technical report writing, crew management, and project management. She has worked with a wide-range of sectors including large and small-scale utilities, renewables, private development, and military operated projects. Ms. Chow has an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) from CDFW for the handling, trapping and genetic sampling of Mohave Ground Squirrel and has been authorized by USFWS and CDFW to handle desert tortoise. She is experienced with burrowing owl, raptors, nesting birds, desert kit fox, blunt-nosed lizard, rare plants, jurisdictional waters and CRAM assessments.

Emily Thorn has 15 years of natural resource experience in the Southwest and Mountain West, including landscape-scale botanical surveys to threatened, endangered and sensitive species surveys, and wetland and waters of the U.S. delineations. She has contributed or managed numerous projects, from habitat conservation plans to NEPA compliance and permitting for recreation, utilities, transportation, water resources, private development, land exchanges, and resource development projects.  Ms. Thorn is qualified to complete Mexican spotted owl, southwestern willow flycatcher, and western yellow-billed cuckoo surveys, and has completed surveys for a variety of federally listed and BLM and USFS sensitive plant and wildlife species. In addition to wildlife and botanical survey qualifications, she has experience as a socioeconomic and environmental justice analyst for NEPA compliance and resource allocation studies.

Don Copeland has 20 years of experience in the environmental field, with extended experience conducting ESA Section 7 and Section 10 consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service, and preparing Biological Assessments; Biological Evaluations and CESA incidental take permits. He has extensive environmental compliance experience as a Project Manager and monitor on large projects, ensuring environmental compliance with regulatory documents (Biological Opinions, 2081’s, streambed permits as well as Environmental Documents). Mr. Copeland is approved by USFWS, CDFW and BLM to handle desert tortoise, and has performed surveys for least Bell’s vireo, burrowing owl, southwestern willow flycatcher, arroyo toad, San Bernardino kangaroo rat, and bats. He is also trained in construction site Best Management Practice (BMP’s) implementation and maintenance.

Danna Hinderle has more than 18 years of professional experience as a desert ecologist and field technician, working exclusively with the management and conservation of desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert. She has worked on a broad range of interdisciplinary projects in cooperation with federal and state agencies. Ms. Hinderle served as a principal investigator on a number of desert tortoise research projects, which allowed for critical information to be collected prior to large scale renewable energy development in California and Nevada. Danna completed her M.Sc. in 2011 on the homing ability, and habitat use of desert tortoises post-translocation.

Dave Kesonie has 17 years of experience as an ecologist and botanist. He has a comprehensive background in plant taxonomy, conducting field surveys, and data analysis. His advanced degree in botany has provided the foundation for his involvement in rare plant inventories and invasive weed management. Mr. Kesonie is also trained in performing jurisdictional wetland delineations pursuant to California Department of Fish and Wildlife Section 1600 and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers guidelines and contributing to technical report preparation. His background in Geographic Information Systems allows for efficient data collection, analysis, and presentation of results to project proponents.