Habitat Restoration & Enhancement Expertise

Habitat enhancement and restoration is a critical component in the conservation of natural resources. Whether rehabilitating land following resource extraction practices, restoring aquatic and terrestrial systems to address agricultural impacts, or developing habitat enhancement plans to meet the needs of a private landowner, Steigers Corporation has the knowledge and experience that is mandatory for the implementation of successful habitat restoration projects. To further ensure project success, Steigers has the skill and knowledge to effectively utilize adaptive management to easily address unforeseen site conditions. Our practical experience and regional knowledge ensures our plans are the most appropriate for the site, are successful, and meet the goals and objectives established for the project.

Experience and Skills

Baseline Feasibility/Habitat Development Potential Analysis
Streambank Restoration & In-stream Habitat Enhancement
Riparian Assessments, Functional Analysis, & Rehabilitation
Vegetative Community Assessments
Forest Productivity Analysis & Plans
Rangeland Restoration & Rehabilitation

Wetland Mitigation, Design, Construction, Monitoring, Functional Lift Analysis
Wildlife Habitat Evaluations & Enhancement
Upland Bird/Waterfowl Habitat Restoration Plans
Mining Reclamation Plans
Livestock Grazing Rotation/Reclamation Plans
Noxious Weed Inventories & Management Plans

Regional Knowledge

Effective habitat enhancement and restoration rely on the utilization of the best scientific data available and use of the most up to date processes/protocols. Steigers maintains a staff of highly trained soil scientists, botanists, aquatic ecologists, and wildlife biologists that have vast experience in habitat enhancement. We rely on specialists with the necessary regional knowledge to complete baseline evaluations and produce realistic enhancement and rehabilitation plans that are self-sustaining and merge seamlessly into the regional environment.

Habitat Enhancement in Practice

Steigers’ staff have developed feasibility and habitat development analyses for terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat enhancement projects in numerous ecological settings throughout the western United States and Alaska. Steigers provides habitat enhancement services through a well-established process including feasibility analysis, plan development, cost/benefit analysis, construction oversight, requisite permitting, and monitoring of the completed project. Our ability to take a habitat enhancement project from the feasibility/design stage through completion provides Steigers’ clients with a premium service that is unparalleled in the industry.

Developing a Restoration Project

Steigers follows a specific process when implementing a habitat enhancement project.

Review of initial project goals and objectives
Identification and detailed review of restoration sites
Initial site assessment and feasibility
Baseline data collection

Determination of appropriate success criteria (goals)
Development of site appropriate restoration plan
Monitoring
Adaptive management as required to address issues

Wetland Mitigation Construction

Feasibility analysis including hydrology availability/water rights
Baseline wetland delineation & evaluation
Development of wetland mitigation plan documents
Pre-& post-construction functional assessment for functional lift analysis
Site grading & infrastructure plans

Site-appropriate revegetation plans
Regulatory Permitting
Construction oversight & management
On-going monitoring & reporting

Species-Specific Habitat Enhancement

Steigers provides habitat enhancement services that can be tailored to a specific species.

Analyses of existing habitat conditions
Development potential analysis for target species (i.e.,big game, waterfowl, upland bird, fisheries, etc.)
Identification of limiting habitat factors for specific species

Development of an enhancement plan
Consultation with regulatory agencies & completion of requisite environmental permitting
Monitoring & follow up population inventories