Habitat Assessment
Using GIS for Habitat Assessment is an important tool for Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor (PS&S) wildlife biologists. We take a preliminary glance at available state data to start to create a site picture. Our wildlife biologists and wetlands experts then take our initial site mapping into the field with them. From field visits, we can gather site verified field data that includes species habitats, wetlands delineations, and existing conditions. Having extensive GIS datasets allows PS&S to perform multiple wetlands mitigations scenarios and allows us to calculate the developable land for our clients' sites. GIS for habitat assessment is an important step in submittals to state agencies and is utilized in the permit process for stream encroachment, freshwater wetlands, and coastal permitting. The GIS assessment methodology prioritizes natural resources and rare species habitats and defines alternative scenarios for developable land.