Ecological Consulting

Ecological consultants at ENCAP, Inc. have worked with land improvement design teams consisting of engineers, landscape architects, and planners since 1973. As a company we have learned how to effectively integrate water quality, open space, and wildlife habitat into the built environment. If you are an engineer or a planner looking to meet the latest stormwater management requirements or need help integrating on-site water resources into your plans, look no further.

When resources cannot be avoided, we know how to help you effectively navigate local and federal regulations and will help design your project to meet the goals of the development as well as be environmentally sound.

What makes our solutions more effective than the competition? Experience.

The relationship between our consulting and contracting professionals creates a knowledge base that allows us to economically meet the needs of our clients while maintaining and/or enhancing local water quality functions. The same consultants that know the regulations, relationships, and science necessary to get a plan approved also have the field experience with erosion control practices, habitat restoration, and construction of natural landscapes.

Our recommendations and specifications are field-tested and proven to work. The accuracy of our initial data collection, reporting, and site assessments enables us to create and implement practical native landscape and preservation plans that fit seamlessly into your project.

Ecological Consulting Services

Wetland Services

If your project involves wetlands, water resources, or natural resources, regulatory requirements dictate accurate marking of those areas. ENCAP, Inc. delineates current water resource boundaries for multiple uses.

Our professionals provide precise and thorough wetland delineations for various reasons. Typically, clients find us because they are looking to improve the quality of their properties, and regulatory agencies require wetland delineation reports. We are here to help with those tasks.

A DETAILED ENCAP WETLAND DELINEATION REPORT INCLUDES:

A review of historic and current water resource mapping

A review of historical aerial photographs for agricultural land (as necessary)

A summary of on-site field findings

USACE Wetland Determination Data Forms

Site photographs

Initial project consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

USACE Floristic Quality Data Sheets

Wetland mitigation is the restoration, creation, preservation, or enhancement of wetlands and other aquatic resources to compensate for the direct or indirect impact of development on these areas.

Many state and federal construction permits require wetland mitigation to replace wetland functions that provide public benefits, such as stormwater detention or retention basins, water-quality protection, and natural-species habitat. These benefits serve to offset any functional losses caused by permitted development on a water resource.

Wetland mitigation focuses on three areas:

Avoidance

Evaluate alternatives to a development’s planned actions to determine which will cause the least environmental harm while meeting the project’s demands.

Minimization

Implement steps to ensure that unavoidable adverse effects of a development’s actions are kept to a minimum.

Compensatory Mitigation

If a development’s impact on a wetland will be unavoidable despite preceding efforts and plans, compensatory mitigation is required to balance and replace any actions that will affect wetland functions throughout a watershed. It might include mitigation banking, in-lieu fee mitigation, or permitee-responsible mitigation.

ENCAP, Inc.’s seasoned ecological consultants can:

develop permitee-responsible mitigation plans to restore, create, or enhance aquatic resources within the proposed development area
assist with bank credit purchase in the appropriate watershed to offset impacts if or when needed
locate public agencies and non-profit organizations sponsoring the collection of funds to build and maintain a mitigation site

Wetlands are regulated at the federal, state and, in many cases, local levels. If you are considering purchasing property that contains wetlands or water resources, you’ll require the proper permitting for site development. Wetland permitting either allows disturbance of the wetland or shows you have a program in place to protect the property and local resources.

Acquiring a permit for developing in and around wetlands, streams, lakes, buffers, floodplains, and riparian zones can be slow and cumbersome. With complete knowledge of wetland regulations, ENCAP, Inc.’s ecological consultants provide the right plan and information early in your project to help you reduce delays in the permitting process.

Wetland mitigation focuses on three areas:

Compliance with federal, state, county, and local regulations
Field-data collection and interpretation
Hydrology analysis, restoration, management, monitoring, and assessment
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 401 water quality certification permitting
Indiana Department of Environmental Management permitting and regulations
Land planning and consultation
Native landscape and best management practice design
Natural-area design and consulting
Natural-area monitoring, assessment, and management
Pre-application meetings and consultation
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permitting
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jurisdictional Determination
Design and implementation
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources permitting and regulations

Natural Resource Assessments

Floristic Quality Inventories

Wildlife Habitat Surveys

Hydrology Monitoring

Endangered & Threatened Species
Consultations and Evaluation

Arborist Services

Tree Surveys

Protection Plans & Construction Oversight

Tree Valuation/Damage Estimation and
Diagnostic Assessments

ENCAP’s certified arborists perform thorough tree surveys and vegetative assessments for type and quality according to the ordinances that govern your project. We are also fully qualified and experienced in locating threatened or endangered species in wildlife habitats. We communicate with regulatory agencies early in the project and with every signed proposal to ensure you avoid obstacles late in the permitting process.

Native Landscape Design

Planting Plans and Specifications for Development and Improvement Projects.

Get Started

Our consultants have navigated hundreds of projects in every type of situation with effective results. We know the regulations in your area and what needs to be done to meet requirements. Contact us today for more information on how ENCAP, Inc. can make your project a success.