Selected Projects

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California's MPA Network the largest in the nation and one of the largest in the world. It was completed in 2012  through a private-public partnership using a stakeholder driven and science based process. Currently the state and philanthropic partners are focused on the on-going management of the MPA Network to ensure it achieves its conservation goals.  

Partners in the  MPA Management  and Monitoring Program  continue an on-going dialogue seeking advice about next steps.  I have produced detailed analyses of the founding legislation, supporting management policies and the current science related to MPA performance review for a range of clients.  

One product to come out of this deep dive was a white paper on the history of MPA Monitoring in California. I also produced a technical memo summarizing the results of long-term monitoring for sandy beach, intertidal, nearshore rocky reef, mid-depth rocky reef habitats in addition to oceanographic and socioeconomic data collected by  other researchers. 

Development of sustainable energy is moving full speed ahead in California. This is required for us    to make any progress towards slowing climate         change impacts. However, many questions remain on what impacts there may be and how they can    be avoided.      

A recent project for a client lead to a collaboration with several other subject matter experts to develop a peer reviewed paper looking at the potential impacts of floating offshore wind in California.   

Further work on this project included creating detailed maps for US waters with relevant layers to help determine species and habitats types to avoid when siting offshore wind. Here is a link to the Gulf of Mexico map. 

A letter was also accepted in the journal Science that encourages regulators to lean on the best science available in siting and permitting for offshore wind in California. 

Knowledge of existing regulatory frameworks, the latest scientific information and the current policy landscape are a specialty of Castalia Environmental.  This is especially important for rapidly changing policy and legislative mandates, such as the greenhouse gas emission reduction and blue carbon strategies in California. Critical decisions are being made about next steps for blue carbon in California and this project helped the client identify specific policy levers and opportunities to advance the use of blue carbon in carbon accounting, the cap-and trade market and as a focus for restoration activities. A comprehensive evaluation of the existing science related to subaquatic vegetation including kelp and eelgrass was part of this technical and scoping report.  I used my professional relationships with leading researchers and state agency staff to identify discrete pathways ripe for engagement that will produce meaningful outcomes in the expansion of blue carbon projects in California.  This project was on a highly compressed timeline and the resulting report illustrates both the high quality scientific analyses and efficiency of Castalia Environmental. 

Castalia Environmental used the latest science avaiable coupled with strong collaboration with California regulators to help advance work on eelgrass protection in California. The California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy (CEMP) provides guidance to state regulatory agencies related to federal laws that require no net loss of eelgrass habitat function. Due to its importance to species managed under the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and its classification as a special aquatic site under the 404(b)(1) guidelines of the Clean Water Act (40 C.F.R. § 230.43), eelgrass requires strong protections. The CEMP states that “approximately every 5 years, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to evaluate monitoring and survey data collected by federal agencies and action proponents per the recommendations of these guidelines. NMFS managers will determine if updates to these guidelines are appropriate based on information evaluated during the 5-year review.” Through collaborations with NMFS, the California Coastal Commission and Ocean Protection Council a policy brief was created to advance the consideration of an OPC Resolution supporting a substantive update of the CEMP. 

 Knowledge of existing data sources and the ability to rapidly analyze and summarize scientific information is a specialty of Castalia Environmental.  This is especially important for rapidly emerging ocean development, like that of wind energy off California’s coast. Critical decisions are being made and this project helped ensure decision makers had the most accurate and updated information.  I used my unique and extensive knowledge of existing monitoring and data to conduct a detailed analysis of the benthic habitat and groundfish populations located within the proposed leasing areas. This required  data mining of existing sources and spatial analysis using Data Basin.  This project was on a highly compressed timeline and the resulting report illustrates both the high quality scientific analyses and efficiency of Castalia Environmental. Click to see the benthic habitat report. 

Castalia Environmental capitalized on my deep connection within the scientific community, tailored outreach tools and facilitation skills to partner with The Pew Charitable Trusts to co-host a science forum with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).   The Commercial Kelp Management South of Pt. Montara Science Forum  provided an opportunity to learn about and discuss the current understanding of kelp science and current kelp conditions south of Point Montara. Leading research scientists presented on recent data collection advances and associated limitations related to the development of a more comprehensive kelp management strategy being developed by the CDFW. The forum brought together commercial kelp harvesters, scientists, CDFW kelp staff, interested Tribes, and other stakeholders to discuss some of the latest science on kelp variability and abundance towards understanding potentially regionally-tailored solutions for kelp management south of Point Montara. The results of the forum are being used by CDFW to inform the development of potential regulatory amendments, the ESR, and kelp management plan.  The video of the forum can be found here.