Take advantage of Sapere’s biological consulting so you can realize success with your project. With an acute attention to detail, responsiveness, and on-the-ground implementation, our assessments have proven instrumental in identifying possible constraints and assuring that negative impacts, when detected, will be minimized and mitigated, if not avoided altogether.

We are professional scientists, specializing in areas including endangered species surveys, biological assessments, wetland delineations, regulatory permitting, and GIS mapping. We take a cooperative approach to agency interactions and we are well-versed in the biological regulatory issues likely to affect your project, so you can feel confident that you have a team with the requisite expertise, experience, and resources to provide you with guidance you can trust.

Canine detection is a powerful tool for rapidly screening urban and rural environments for listed and special-status species, invasive plants and wildlife, archaeological resources, and is supported by formal quality assurance protocols. It is often used alongside conventional tests, mapping, and other techniques to maximize search accuracy and efficiency in a time- and cost-efficient way.

Sapere established the first Bay Area scent detection canine program in 2009 and has successfully conducted projects throughout California. Our dogs are trained to survey by detecting the scent of plants and wildlife or secondary signs such as scat, feathers, carcasses, seeds, and plant parts.

Our handlers are recognized leaders in their field with over 70 years of combined experience employing canines in areas of conservation and wildlife management, search and rescue, and law enforcement. We understand that effective canine work relies on experienced handlers with practical knowledge of the science of scent movement.

Experience greater foresight and fewer setbacks with our expert advisory. When environmental compliance and permits necessitate that construction be monitored, a thoughtful balance needs to be established between workers, regulatory agencies, and project owners to find the middle ground to align objectives and responsibilities.

At the same time, you need to identify and mitigate potential costly delays and disruptions as well as maintain environmental compliance and adherence to regulations.

At Sapere, we understand that a practical team approach, with open communication, serves both the project goals and the environment.
Our specialists understand the fluctuations within the engineering and construction industries and draw upon years of practice to provide cost-effective solutions to ensure environmental regulatory compliance while keeping your project on schedule.

Environmental Permitting & Compliance

Agency Consultation and Relations
Permitting Needs Assessments and Strategies
Permit Tracking and Agency Reporting
Joint Aquatic Resource Permits
California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs
Clean Water Act §404 Permits - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Clean Water Act §401 Certifications
Clean Water Act §402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
CDFW §1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements
CDFW §2081 Incidental Take Permit
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Section 7 Consultation
Permitting Needs Assessments and Strategies
Dewatering/Discharge Plans
Mitigation/Compensation Plans
Mitigation Monitoring Plans

Camera traps are used as an efficient method to insure continuous sampling and to work in difficult-to-access areas. They serve as a diverse way to study the landscape of an area, from animal behavior to fauna-flora interaction. 

Sapere has been working with regulatory agencies and clients to develop new survey techniques using camera traps. We routinely employ camera traps to document the presence of a range of wildlife species, including many not normally captured by infrared camera traps such as the San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) and Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus). Sapere Principal, Jerry Roe, co-developed and taught the first Camera Trap Workshop for The Wildlife Society in 2006 and has conducted numerous trainings for regulatory agency staff and wildlife professionals.

The Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists at Sapere Environmental utilize Global Positioning System (GPS) and GIS technologies to obtain, manipulate, analyze, and display spatial data in detailed exhibits. Sapere Environmental employs the use of ESRI ArcGIS, Trimble sub-meter GPS, and handheld GPS units to overlay data acquired in the field with topographic, transportation, environmental, hydrological, and other layers to promote a clear understanding of local and regional conditions. The exhibits serve as fundamental interpretations of positional information pertaining to the project site and its relation to the greater geographical zone. We provide GPS and GIS support for field data collection, wildlife movement, and corridor assessment mapping, remote sensing, special-status species distribution, and habitat suitability analyses, hydrological mapping, and construction planning.

Wildlife exclusion fencing is an important factor in maintaining habitat connectivity for wildlife, providing an effective barrier, and reducing the risk of injury to animals.

As an authorized Northern California agent for Animex, Sapere offers a distinctive variety of temporary and permanent fencing products that provide unequaled exclusion solutions for your project as well as the specific species.

Animex wildlife fencing systems have been used to assist in reducing and eliminating stoppages and delays on various constructional projects for engineers, biological consultants, and government organizations.