Environmental Consulting
Thalassia provides permitting strategy, environmental assessment preparation, and technical support for projects requiring municipal, provincial, and federal environmental approvals. Over a decade of experience and a multi-disciplinary approach allows for the effective guidance of projects through the often complex assessment and regulatory processes – on time and on budget. Whether the project requires study design, field work, report writing, or the submission of regulatory applications to government, we are up to date on relevant guidelines and legislation, and are trained in the most effective management practices to ensure successful results.
Environmental Assessments
To develop a marine project in British Columbia, it is essential to skillfully navigate the environmental assessment (EA) process. Effective assessments are built on high quality environmental monitoring plans, mitigation designs, and offsetting programs that work with Federal, Municipal and emerging First Nations requirements.
Habitat Offsetting
Where project effects are unavoidable, habitat offsetting plans are required to counterbalance those effects. Effective offsetting requires navigation of the regulatory processes associated with compensation planning. At Thalassia we understand that integrating compensation options into a project’s design can significantly reduce the potential of project and permitting delays.
The cornerstone to successful habitat offsetting is the ability to conceptually and practically apply a detailed knowledge of the local ecosystem to effectively meet specific project goals. By engaging local stakeholders and First Nations your project can gain access to traditional knowledge about the species and the factors affecting habitat and are able to put together comprehensive plans that benefit proponents and communities.
Habitat Enhancement
Where anthropogenic impacts have damaged habitat values over time, habitat enhancement can be used to create, restore and improve fish and wildlife habitat. Enhancement can be used as a reactive measure to offset habitat loss and as a proactive measure to provide a balance between a healthy environment and future development projects.
Tidal marsh
Tidal marshes are found along coasts and estuaries, where fresh water meets salt water; these areas provide important habitat to support juvenile salmon rearing, waterfowl, migrating birds and other fish and wildlife.
Saltmarsh
Saltmarsh is a type of intertidal marsh found in coastal areas, where ocean tides flood and drain marshland. Saltmarsh species – including eelgrass, pickleweed (sea asparagus) and dune grass – provide an important source of primary production, nutrients and organic matter for a food web that many different species of fish, birds and other wildlife rely on.
Eelgrass beds
Eelgrass is a perennial flowering plant that forms underwater beds, which support a variety of species including fish, waterfowl and invertebrates. In particular, eelgrass provides shelter for juvenile salmon, Pacific herring, Dungeness crab, migrating brant geese, clams, shrimp and starfish. Eelgrass beds also support critical ecological functions including nutrient cycling, storm protection, and exporting organic matter.
Rocky Reefs
Rocky reefs can be built at differing intertidal and subtidal elevations, creating the necessary conditions for a variety of vegetation to grow. These benches are placed underwater and then colonize naturally. The resulting vegetation has numerous benefits, including supporting shelter and food for rockfish, lingcod, and many invertebrate species.