Restoration and Mitigation Support Services

Biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, and environmental impacts require solutions that are grounded in strong science and practical implementation. BRI provides strategic and technical support to help organizations plan, design, implement, and evaluate restoration and mitigation efforts across a wide range of ecological systems.

Our work supports projects tied to regulatory processes such as Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as voluntary restoration, conservation, and resilience initiatives. From early project planning to long-term monitoring, BRI helps clients translate ecological science into effective restoration outcomes.

BRI works with federal and state agencies, developers, Tribes, NGOs, and communities to evaluate impacts, identify restoration opportunities, design mitigation strategies, and measure ecological outcomes. Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise in wildlife conservation, restoration ecology, contaminants, spatial analysis, environmental and population modeling, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement to support projects from concept through implementation.

Our Approach

1. Strategy and Planning

We help identify restoration opportunities and develop strategic plans that align ecological needs with regulatory and project requirements.

Services include:

  • Impact/damage estimation
  • Conceptual site model development
  • Strategic restoration planning
  • Mitigation planning
  • Population modeling and recovery planning
  • Offset and credit quantification
  • Restoration project identification and evaluation
  • Resilience and climate vulnerability analysis
  • Public engagement and outreach

2. Project Design and Implementation

BRI provides technical support to translate restoration strategies into practical, implementable projects.

Services include:

  • Restoration project design and implementation
  • Development of project goals, objectives, and metrics
  • Development of restoration and monitoring plans
  • Preparation of Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs)
  • Field and laboratory sampling and analysis plans
  • Integration of ecological data and modeling

3. Compliance and Environmental Review

Many restoration and mitigation projects occur within regulatory frameworks. BRI helps ensure scientific rigor while supporting compliance and decision-making.

Services include:

  • NEPA analysis and environmental compliance
  • Coordination with regulatory agencies
  • Technical documentation and reporting

4. Monitoring and Adaptive Management

Effective restoration requires long-term evaluation and the flexibility to adjust strategies as conditions change.

Services include:

    • Development and implementation of monitoring programs
    • Quantification of ecological benefits
    • Adaptive management frameworks
    • Long-term ecological evaluation
    • Progress and final reporting

5. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

Restoration projects often involve diverse partners and stakeholders. BRI helps translate complex science into accessible information and supports collaborative decision-making.

Services include:

  • Stakeholder engagement and technical facilitation
  • Outreach and communication materials
  • Project summaries and technical reports
  • Science communication for diverse audiences

Supporting Mitigation and Biodiversity Outcomes

BRI also supports mitigation strategies aligned with the mitigation hierarchy: avoiding impacts where possible, minimizing unavoidable effects, restoring affected habitats, and identifying opportunities to improve ecological outcomes.

Our experience in biodiversity surveys, ecological modeling, monitoring, and decision support allows us to help clients evaluate mitigation options and develop strategies that support measurable ecological benefits.

 

We follow the mitigation hierarchy to avoid and mitigate negative impacts to biodiversity. For example, degraded habitat should be restored to target no-net-loss of biodiversity (“net zero”). We achieve net positive biodiversity when our actions enhance ecosystems, for example through habitat improvement.

Where This Work Applies

BRI’s restoration and mitigation expertise supports projects across many sectors, including:

  • Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) restoration planning
  • NEPA review and environmental compliance
  • Renewable energy development, including wind, solar, and hydroelectric power
  • Habitat restoration and ecosystem resilience initiatives
  • Contaminant response and ecosystem recovery
  • Voluntary conservation and biodiversity initiatives

Our team works across marine, coastal, freshwater, and terrestrial environments throughout the United States.

Why BRI?

BRI brings more than 25 years of experience supporting restoration science and environmental decision-making. Our multidisciplinary team includes expertise in:

  • Restoration ecology
  • Wildlife conservation and population biology
  • Ecosystem ecology
  • Climate adaptation and resilience
  • Contaminant fate and transport
  • Environmental and population modeling
  • Mitigation and recovery planning
  • GIS and spatial analysis
  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Science communication and stakeholder engagement

Connect with Us!

BRI works with partners to develop restoration and mitigation strategies that are scientifically credible and designed for real-world implementation. Contact us to discuss how we can support your project, from early planning and environmental compliance to restoration design, monitoring, and long-term adaptive management.

Karen Carney, Ph.D. PMP; Senior Ecologist, NRDA Consulting Group
karen.carney@briwildlife.org

Holly Goyert, Ph.D.; Co-Director of the AERE Group
holly.goyert@briwildlife.org

Steve Knapp, B.S.; Wetland Services Lead
steve.knapp@briwildlife.org

Photo Credits: Header photo © Kevin Regan, BRI.