Foothill Associates

Foothill Associates is thrilled to be selected by the City of Elk Grove to finalize the design and prepare construction documents for the City’s Civic Center Nature Area project. The centerpiece of the 28-acre Nature Area design is renovation of a natural pond, which will be accessible via overlooks and surrounded by play opportunities, gathering areas, art, and paths. Also included in the design of the Nature Area is habitat restoration, trails, historic orchard preservation, and educational opportunities which highlight the site's natural resources and agricultural history. The Nature Area is adjacent to the Civic Center and Aquatic Center, which are currently under construction.

Foothill Associates' biologists were recently certified as Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) qualified biologists. #YoloHabitatConservancy

Foothill Associates completed the landscape architecture design for Taylor Road from Horseshoe Bar Road to Shawn Way in downtown Loomis helping to transform the streetscape into an inviting multi-modal thoroughfare. #wlam2019 #foothillassociates

The State Water Resource Control Board adopted State Wetland Definition and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State today. The new procedures become effective nine months after approval by the Office of Administrative Law (anticipated first quarter of 2020) and introduce a more rigorous permitting process. New definitions and new procedures bring new regulatory requirements for activities impacting Waters of the State. Foothill Associates' biologists and regulatory specialists are ready to assist with compliance! Call us for more information!

April is World Landscape Architecture Month (WLAM), an international celebration of landscape architecture, and Foothill Associates is excited to once again be joining in the fun and highlight some of our favorites throughout April. Pictured is Daniel Blair; Meredith Branstad, PLA; and Jessie Lett conducting a public outreach event in Lake County in support of the County’s Prop 68 grant application to help improve their parks. #wlam2019 #foothillassociates #lakecountycagov #parkplanning

This California toad (Anaxyrus boreas halophilus) was found just outside its burrow during an afternoon field survey. Anaxyrus is derived from Greek origin and means "king or leader."

Foothill Associates is pleased to welcome John DeMartino as a Senior GIS Specialist. John is an experienced GIS professional with an extensive background working with GIS applications for natural resources management, transportation, public works, municipal planning, and engineering projects.

Spring has sprung and many special-status plants are coming into bloom. The bloom period represents the time to conduct focused surveys for sites that may support special-status plants. Foothill Associates’ botanists can assist with identification, mapping, preparation of appropriate avoidance and mitigation measures, and agency consultation.

Need help applying for Prop 68 Statewide Park Program grant funding before the August 5th deadline? Foothill Associates can help you through the process, including assisting in project selection. We offer background research, community-based planning and outreach, conceptual park planning including environmental design elements, cost estimates, graphics, CEQA, and grant writing.

Foothill Associates' biologists have been busy installing data loggers in vernal pools and wetlands, and are checking in on the data logger progress. Data loggers track the hydrology of these features and will be used to analyze the changes throughout the rainy season. Biologists can then compare the data from reference areas to study areas, and will be able to see how the hydrology is functioning across the site.

With the recent rain in the Sacramento Valley vernal pools are filled with water and that means monitoring season for listed vernal pool invertebrates is upon us. Foothill Associates has U.S. Fish & Wildlife permitted biologists to monitor for these species. Throughout the wet season permitted biologists wade into the wetlands to dip nets in the water and check for which vernal pool invertebrates may be present.

Nesting bird season is upon us and that means implementing procedures to avoid impacts to these birds during the sensitive nesting season (February 1-August 15). Foothill Associates' biologists can assist any project, big or small, with nesting bird surveys and can provide guidance to avoid impacts, monitor nests, and other procedures to ensure birds and clients have a happy, successful season.

Foothill Associates is pleased to welcome Christine Heckler as an Associate Biologist/Resource Assessment Specialist. Christine is a wildlife biologist with a strong educational background in wildlife biology and management from Humboldt State University. She has extensive knowledge and experience working in Northern California, particularly the Pacific Northwest, Sierra Nevada, and the Central Valley. She has been agency approved as a designated project biologist and has con...ducted many protocol-level and focused wildlife surveys for various California listed species. In addition to wildlife, Ms. Heckler has worked closely on botanical studies, noxious weed surveys and management plans, wetland delineations, and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans. Ms. Heckler has gained extensive experience within environmental consulting, and often works directly with crews and agencies to ensure projects meet compliance standards. She has the appropriate safety and field training to monitor activities on various construction sites, and also to survey alone in remote and harsh environments. Ms. Heckler has had a lifelong passion for wildlife and the outdoors, and enjoys sharing this passion through professional and recreational endeavors. See more