We have been working with the School Board of Collier County for over 20 years. Since that time, we have developed a very close working relationship with School District staff, including working closely on maintenance and management of Collier County Public Schools’ numerous preserve areas; assisting with bald eagle, burrowing owl, gopher tortoise, and Big Cypress fox squirrel issues when they arise; and providing environment support for new schools, as well as the redevelopment of existing ones.
The following provides a representative sample of projects that demonstrate our environmental experience with school projects over the last several years.
Preserve Monitoring and Exotic Coordination Services
We have provided Collier County Public Schools with general environmental consultation and preserve monitoring and exotic coordination services since 2000 for a number of school sites including Barron Collier High School, Osceola Elementary School, Bethune Education Center, Cypress Palm Middle School, Eden Park Elementary, Estates Elementary, Golden Gate High, Manatee Middle School, Mike Davis Elementary School, North Naples Middle School, Oakridge Middle School, Palmetto Elementary School, Alternate Elementary School L, Parkside Elementary School, Veterans Memorial Elementary School, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Administration Center.
Alternative Elementary School L
We conducted an environmental site assessment; School Board Review approval; wetland jurisdictional determinations; listed species survey; Collier County Environmental Impact Statement; Preserve Area and Big Cypress fox squirrel management plan; South Florida Water Management District Individual Environmental Resource Permit services; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Individual Permit services; red-cockaded woodpecker nesting and non-nesting season foraging surveys; and consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for wood stork, Florida panther, Florida bonneted bat, and red-cockaded woodpecker.
Gulfview Middle School
We provided burrowing owl permitting services for Gulfview Middle School. Burrowing owl burrows were identified within a soccer field on the school grounds which posed a risk to both the owl(s) and the children who would use the field for its intended purpose. We applied for and received Migratory Bird Nest Removal Permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to incidentally “take” the burrow in a non-lethal manner. Our staff coordinated with Audubon of the Western Everglades to install four-starter burrows on the project site.
GGG High School
We are currently providing environmental consulting and permitting services on GGG High School, tasks include an environmental site assessment, wetland delineations, listed species survey, red-cockaded woodpecker nesting and non-nesting season foraging surveys, Florida bonneted bat cavity tree and acoustic surveys, gopher tortoise surveys, South Florida Water Management District Individual Environmental Resource Permit, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Individual Dredge and Fill Permit, consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and bald eagle nest observations.
Lely High School
We conducted a Big Cypress Fox Squirrel survey, permitting, and relocation for Lely High School. The Big Cypress fox squirrel is a state-listed Threatened species. A nuisance Big Cypress fox squirrel had been documented within the courtyard of Lely High School in Collier County. The squirrel had been repeatedly scavenging in this area of the school and had exhibited behavior indicative of wildlife that had habituated to the presence of humans. We applied for and received a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Listed Species Incidental Take Permit so that the nuisance squirrel could be trapped and relocated to a 2,500± acre preserve owned and managed by Collier County.
Naples Park Elementary School
We provided gopher tortoise permitting and relocation services for Naples Park Elementary School. We excavated and relocated gopher tortoises from Naples Park Elementary on two separate occasions. We applied for and received a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Gopher Tortoise Conservation Permit. Services also included coordination and supervision of the excavation, capture, and relocation of the gopher tortoises to the approved conservation bank.
Bethune Education Center
We conducted a listed species survey, wetland jurisdictional determinations, School Board Review approval, South Florida Water Management District Standard General Environmental Resource Permit Modification services, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regional General Permit SAJ-14 services, and consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
