Robert K. Burton, PhD

California Ecological Analytics is a broad-based working group of professional scientists that bring together a diverse set of skills and experiences which can be applied to bring resolution to virtually any ecological challenge. We describe ourselves as a working group because our collective academic and professional experience enables us to tap into the expertise of an extremely diverse group of scientists affiliated with numerous universities and institutes throughout the western United States. For example, collectively we have a well developed track record of collaborations with scientists from the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Jose State University, the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, California State University Monterey Bay, California State Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, California State University San Diego, and California State University Bakersfield. We are also associated with organizations such as the Western Section of the Wildlife Society and the California Nevada Amphibian Population Task Force.

Through these long standing collaborative working relationships we can coordinate with species and ecosystem specialists in finding solutions to the ecological challenges that you may face with your project, regardless of how many others have determined the issues unsolvable. On this website we’ve included a sampling of what have done in the past as documented through peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, professional reports, as well as a summary of recent conference presentations. As you review those citations note the diversity of subjects addressed in those studies and also the extent of collaboration as evidenced by our numerous coauthors. We work on a range of projects from very simple to very complex. For each, we provide scientifically robust analyses required for external evaluation of projects and we provide interpretation and application of those data.

For example we can provide expert-based support for your endeavor in the form of:

High Resolution Locational Data - We can provide extremely high resolution locational data on sensitive or special-status biotic resources, in a format that can be directly integrated with your digital design planning tools (e.g., CAD, GIS). This is particularly applicable to large and complex projects as this lays the foundation for a detailed analysis of potential impacts associated with a project and informs design strategies that will achieve project goals while reducing impacts. This is a strategy that has been very successfully employed to advance projects that were initially considered infeasible due to the high level of potential impacts to protected species; with the end result being successful projects that achieved the intended goals while saving project proponents substantial costs through proactive integration of biological and engineering constraints and opportunities.

Biotic Assessment - We provide expert based biotic assessments for projects ranging from very small to very large in geographic scope. Biotic assessments provide a detailed description of native and exotic plant communities along with detailed characterizations of the wildlife associated with these habitats. In addition, we utilize external data resources such as regional catalogues of special-status species and provide a detailed analysis of the potential for special-status species to occur at or within the vicinity of a given project site. These biotic assessments can be directly incorporated in permitting documents ranging from a simple Initial Study and Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative Declaration to a full blown Environmental Impact Report or Habitat Conservation Plan. In addition we can provide support, or assume the lead role, in preparing more extensive Biological Assessments and Biological Resources Assessment Reports as well as specific permitting documents such as an Incidental Take Permit Application. All of these types of biotic assessments and permitting are done with a level of scientific expertise that is highly defensible and will lead to success in the implementation of well thought out projects, no matter how seemingly difficult.

Project Implementation - We also provide expert scientific support for project implementation including a range of activities from designing and implementing very complex wildlife relocation or avoidance strategies, to activities such as pre-construction clearance surveys. We can provide design and implementation of short and long-term monitoring strategies that will fully address permitting requirements as well as lead to adaptive management strategies that will ensure compliance with permitting requirements. We bring a lot of creative thinking to the table and have a long track record of finding solutions in settings where there seem to be no solutions. We have a track record of completing projects in a manner that accomplishes the goals of the project while ensuring that impacts to biotic resources are minimized and we also have a track record of producing very positive outcomes for very difficult challenges.