Ecology Projects and Services
Creating and Restoring Wetlands – Autauga County, Alabama
Waypoint personnel developed a 48 acre wetland restoration project to create 48 acres of bottomland hardwood wetlands in Autauga County, Alabama. To accomplish this, the first step has been grading to allow hydrology to be restored to the area. This has allowed hydrophytic vegetation and soils to be re-established.
Various hardwood tree species have been planted across the site to help further establish the bottomland hardwood wetland type. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover help to stabilize the soil and decrease erosion at the site. Trees planted at the wetland restoration site are experiencing high survival rates and thriving in the newly adapted hydric soil conditions.
Leveloggers have been installed across that allow the tracking and documentation of groundwater levels, and soil saturation throughout the year. The data is then transferred to USB for use in further analysis of the success of the wetland.
Big Sandy Crayfish (Cambarus callainus) Survey
The Big Sandy Crayfish (Cambarus callainus) resembles a miniature lobster and is listed as a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. It is found only in the Big Sandy River Basin in within the states of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Terrestrial Zoology – Acoustic Bat Survey
Terrestrial zoology studies include deployment of acoustic bat detectors to record data to characterize the community of bat species present at the site.
Stream Mitigation Bank Fisheries Study
We performed a fisheries study at a stream mitigation bank site. This data is being used to determine the Biotic Integrity Index to help measure the success of the restoration project. Populations of multiple fish species were found in pools just like these throughout the project.
Eelgrass Restoration Monitoring
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Restoration Monitoring with UAV
Eelgrass beds provide food and habitat for blue crabs, young striped bass, bay scallops, waterfowl, and many other aquatic species. The beds also filter pollutants, reduce shoreline erosion, trap sediments, and add oxygen to the water.
2021 Data Acquisition Details
The aerial submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) imagery from Nantucket Harbor was acquired from a UAV at an approximate altitude of 200 feet.Camera settings were selected by automatic exposure control. Flight lines and frames were designed 80% line overlap and 70% sidelap.
Kentucky Bat Survey
During this bat survey for a planned resource extraction site (surface and underground highwall/auger coal mining) mist net and acoustic sampling was employed. Prior to sampling a summer and winter habitat assessment was performed to identify the amount of and potential for habitat presence. The Kentucky Bat Survey (Whitley County) was performed on an approximately 120 acre tract of land was surveyed and clearance was recommended due to no captures of Threatened or Endangered species.
In addition to the projects showcased above, waypoint also provides the following Ecology services;
Stream & Wetland Mitigation & Restoration
Eelgrass Restoration Monitoring
Bat Surveys, Mistnet Surveys & Acoustic Monitoring
Macroinvertebrate Studies
Jurisdictional & Hydrologic Determinations
Wetland Delineation