Ecology Services | Equinox Environmental

Wetlands and streams are essential to healthy ecosystems. We  work with both public and private entities to facilitate full stream and wetland delivery projects. At Equinox , we also identify streams and wetlands that would benefit from restoration or preservation. Drawing on our staff members’ biological, environmental, and agricultural backgrounds, we are noted for our balanced outreach to landowners, and our development of mitigation projects that not only improve ecological function but also meet landowners’ financial needs.

• Assessment for Mitigation Potential
• Landowner Outreach
• Stream and Wetland Restoration and Design
• Mitigation Banking after Assessment for Mitigation Banking
• Monitoring

See examples of our stream and wetland mitigation.

Restoring precious ecosystems requires an understanding of the natural sciences and the art of design, as well as the ability to work with diverse community stakeholders. Equinox provides restoration services for a variety of habitats and ecosystems, including rivers, streams, woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. This often means native plant revegetation, soil improvements and stabilization, grading, erosion control, and invasive plant control. We know from firsthand experience which plant species are most likely to respond well. We also know that restoration takes time, that’s why we provide management plans for our restoration projects. When possible, we also include recreational, aesthetic, and educational features in these projects.

• Stream & Wetland Restoration
• Habitat Restoration & Enhancement
• Revegetation Projects (Forest, Meadow, Riparian)

See examples of ecological restoration.

A well-managed property or landscape has numerous benefits. Landowners who want to know how to be the best stewards of their land, as well as owners and managers for parks, greenways, working farms, and forests rely on our expertise for restored balance, increased usability, and decreased maintenance needs over time. We also help landowners learn how their landscape has developed and changed overtime through interaction between people and nature through an assessment process called Landscape Biography. Our customized recommendations can enhance habitat and provide guidance to protect the financial investments made to restore or create a natural landscape. We can help landowners manage land for healthy ecosystems that improve the quality of life for present and future generations.

• Landscape Management Plans
• Ecological Management Plans
• Pond and Stream Management Plans
• Wildlife Habitat Management Plans
• Landscape Stewardship Plans
• Watershed Management Plans

See a few of our landscape and habitat management plans.

Biological data is the foundation of natural resource management. Equinox provides a full range of biological services to satisfy most any assessment needs associated with plants, fish, wildlife, and their habitats. We carefully collect and analyze this data for a variety of project types, from designing site plans for residential subdivisions to collecting data to support large watershed projects.

• General Site Assessments
• Water Quality Assessments
• Aquatic & Terrestrial Habitat
• Botanical Inventories
• Rare, Threatened, & Endangered Species
• Fish and Benthic
• Wildlife & Habitat
• Forest Health Monitoring
• Carolina Vegetation Survey
• Pond and Lake Assessments

See examples of our natural resource inventories and assessments.

Federal and state law require the assessment of streams and wetlands because they are protected through the Clean Water Act and other legislation.Prior to developing a property, whether for a park, residential development, or other type of construction project, Equinox can provide an assessment of the streams and wetlands. Equinox will help to identify if a stream or wetland exists on a property , help our clients navigate the permitting process , and/or help reduce impacts that may require permitting.

• Site Inventories
• Stream Determinations
• Stream Channel Surveys
• Stream Channel Substrate Sampling
• Wetland Delineations
• Mitigation

See a few of our Stream and Wetland Delineations and Assessments.

You have the plan—but do you have the permits? State and federal guidelines can be confounding. We help our clients identify the environmental conditions that require permitting and guide them through the process. Our in-house permitting specialists also help clients avoid or minimize permitting needs by developing creative and cost-effective solutions.

• Section 401/404 Permitting
• Stormwater Permitting
• Land Disturbance Permitting
• Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)
• Categorical Exclusions (CE)
• Environmental Assessments (EA)

See  a few examples of environmental reviews and permitting.

What’s working and what’s not? It’s the most valuable information you can have. From determining baseline data before a project, to measuring the success of a restoration, product, or plan, ecological monitoring helps our clients meet their goals. Our top management team is involved in every project, making recommendations for future actions and improvements.

• Stream and Wetland Monitoring
• Biological Monitoring
• Stormwater BMP Functional Assessments

See examples of ecological monitoring.

The key to controlling invasive species is education. We not only educate our clients and the general public about identification and management techniques—we also do constant research to stay up to date on new pest species. For our clients, we develop long-term management plans, as well as perform the treatment and control work in the field.

• Invasive Exotic Plant Control
• Invasive Management Plans
• Integrative Pest Management
• Training for Invasive Plant Identification & Treatment

See our invasive exotic species management.