Environmental Consulting can mean different things to different people. In one field it could mean monitoring a construction project, in another, it could mean trapping small mammals to assess biodiversity on a corporate site in middle America. I’ve developed this page for the person who is thinking about a career in the consulting world from my own personal perspective and highlight a few of my involvements and those of my close colleagues to provide the “would be” practitioner with a feel of what I’ve done during my career in the hopes that it will inspire other to choose a similar career path that is both rewarding and important.

Restoration of border land between the facility and the Newark Bay’s salt water marsh.

Firmenich Inc. Corporate Restoration

Port Newark, New Jersey

Much of what I do involves the ecological restoration of impacted and abused landscapes. I’ve earned my certification as a restoration ecologist through the Society of Ecologic Restoration (SER), a globally recognized organization dedicated to the repair of natural systems. I suggest that anyone thinking about a career in restoration ecology visit the SER website: https://www.ser.org/ .

One good example of bringing meaning to the phrase “If You can make it here, you can make it anywhere” (ref. Frank Sinatra) is an industrial area occupied by the global fragrance and flavors company, Firmenich, located in one of the most historically abused landscapes in the nation - Port Newark, New Jersey.

It is here where I and other ecologists from GZA have designed and built back a natural system, an extension of the Newark Bay estuary, into the footprint of this industrialized zone. The area, formally cut sod-grass, is now a thriving drop out zone for migratory birds and butterflies.

With help from other ecologists and with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Conserve Wildlife of New Jersey, we continue to adaptively manage the area in order to ensure its ecologic viability into the foreseeable future.

Gazebo designed to interface employees at the facility to commune with nature while overlooking the Freedom Tower in Manhattan

Restored sod-grass to native meadow

Rt. 78 Exchange bridge in the background.

Floating Wetland System Installed in detention ponds. Three-season color and pollinator habitat in an otherwise gross water treatment impoundment.

Botanical Survey

Some of our Days are spent in botanical inventories . The image here is of a colleague from GZA Alycia Kluenenberg a Mid-west prairie in Illinois characterizing habitat for the Federally endangered Rusty-patched Bumble Bee . I, and a team of ecologists from GZA were providing consultation to the IL Department of Transportation (IDOT). Not all our work is this fun but sometimes you get a job that requires a deep understanding of ecologic relationships and a high level of plant identification skills.

Terrestrial Rapid BioAssesment (TRBA)

TRBA is a proprietary tool developed by Blaine Rothauser representing a baseline assessment of the ecological condition of land under appraisal. The process was developed for land managers, site remediation professionals, foresters or anyone that requires a cost effective means to evaluate where a parcel of land falls within a compendium of human imposed impacts. The process involves an analysis of Heterocerids, aka moths, that are present at a survey location by ecologists with the knowledge of each species life-history requirements. The species requirements necessary to survive within the surrounding habitats speaks to the stability, structure, and complexity level within these local environments. The moths attracted to the full-spectrum light source used to “draw them out” during the survey period are read like ecologic-tea leaves to determine where the land under scrutiny fits within the breadth of human impact with the land.

This becomes a Habitat Value Score (HVS) that a land manager can use as a yard stick to determine the efficacy of future ecologic restoration prescription.

Tersa Moth (Xylophanes tersa)

Nicolette Albanese

Senior Ecologist GZA, GeoEnvironmental in the process of photo-documenting moths during a Terrestrial Rapid Bioassessment survey at an Industrial site in New Jersey.

Bill Young Environmental

Bill Young <bill@reforestationsolutions.com>

Looking for Something Special?

Wildlife photography is not only a thrilling and rewarding experience, but it also plays a critical role in promoting conservation and raising awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and their habitats. Consider supporting my cause and display some of Earth’s natural beauty in your own personal habitat.

If you see a photo you might like as a print or a print inside a custon frame click “Request A Photo” button below and put the image code associated with the species in the appropriate bok. i will get back to you and we can discuss specifics about image size, frame style, where it may be displayed and I’ll guide you to a final product that suits your specific needs.

Note: The images found here are a sample of photographs representative of the category. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you don’t see a specific species you are looking for. All specific requests will be considered.

Request a Photo

Reptiles & Amphibians

Blaine Rothauser
Rockaway, NJ
Blaine0801@gmail.com