Westervelt Ecological Services

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Sacramento, CA
Westervelt Ecological Services

~Conservation, Ecological Restoration, Land-Based Solutions~
Working With Nature- It's what we do.

At WES, we are dedicated to providing mitigation and conservation solutions across the United States. Established in 2006, WES has conserved over 30,000 acres of habitat for the benefit of over 50 federally or state protected plants and animals. To reach our conservation goals, WES collaborates with private landowners, businesses, nonprofits including land trust organizations, and government entities.

07/22/2026

Species Spotlight: California tiger salamander

The California tiger salamander (CTS) is one of California's most iconic amphibians. Recognizable by its black body patterned with cream or yellow spots, this species spends most of its life underground in the burrows of ground squirrels and other small mammals, emerging during rainy winter nights to breed in vernal pools and seasonal ponds.

Today, CTS populations have declined significantly due to the loss of vernal pool and grassland habitats throughout California's Central Valley. These unique seasonal wetlands, once widespread across the landscape, have been reduced by development, agriculture, and other land-use changes.

California tiger salamanders are federally protected, with populations across California listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation and habitat protection remain critical to ensuring the species' long-term survival.

At WES, we support local CTS populations through our conservation banks. California tiger salamander credits are currently available at the Burke Ranch Conservation Bank, where CTS breeding has been documented even during years of extreme drought.

Additional CTS credits will be available soon at the Buck Ridge Conservation Bank, which supports high-quality breeding and upland habitat and is currently awaiting agency approval.

07/13/2026

A new floodplain restoration project in Sacramento County!

WES is pleased to share that the Johnson Cosumnes Mitigation Bank is now approved with credits available. One of the first mitigation projects in the state to be allowed to utilize the CEQA Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects under CDFW’s Cutting the Green Tape Initiative, this 217-acre project will provide floodplain and riparian habitat credits along one of the last remaining free-flowing rivers in California.

Currently in agricultural production and vulnerable to flooding, the property will undergo restoration beginning this fall. Construction activities will lower and remove portions of an existing agricultural berm, allowing the river to reconnect with its historic floodplain. As natural hydrologic processes return, native vegetation will establish and mature, creating habitat for a diverse array of wildlife and improving overall ecosystem function.

The Johnson Cosumnes Mitigation Bank represents an important step toward restoring floodplain processes, enhancing habitat connectivity, and supporting the long-term health of one of California's last free-flowing rivers.

02/17/2026

Westervelt Ecological Services is excited to welcome Corblu Ecology Group!

The team at Corblu is highly respected for its ecological restoration and consulting services throughout the Southeastern United States. By bringing Corblu into WES, we're proud to provide the tools, capital, and long-term support needed to restore more acres, more watersheds, and more habitat than either of us could achieve alone.

Stay tuned and get to know our new team members more over the coming weeks as we share some of the amazing work they've accomplished.

02/05/2026

Project Spotlight: Black mountain Mitigation Site

Big news from the desert: WES has received approval for the Black Mountain Mitigation Site, marking our first project in the Mojave Desert!

Deserts may look sparse at first glance, but they are surprisingly rich ecosystems—supporting a wide range of plants and wildlife uniquely adapted to thrive in tough conditions. Because these habitats take decades to recover from disturbance, conserving large, connected desert landscapes is essential to maintaining their ecological function.

The Black Mountain Mitigation Site conserves 632 acres of desert habitat for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis), helping protect the diversity that exists beyond the surface of the Mojave.
By providing high-quality, landscape-scale mitigation, the site supports regional conservation priorities, improves long-term habitat connectivity, and helps facilitate the infrastructure improvements needed to support growing communities, while keeping conservation front and center.

Building on this milestone, WES has also identified additional lands within the Mojave Desert that are available for custom mitigation solutions. If you have mitigation needs in the Mojave or elsewhere, we’d love to connect and explore how WES can support your project goals.

01/26/2026

A big thank you to the USACE South Pacific Division Commander Brig. Gen. John Lloyd for visiting our Cosumnes Floodplain Mitigation Bank and Cache Slough Mitigation Bank in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.

The visit provided an opportunity to discuss how these restoration projects support shared goals around flood risk reduction and long-term infrastructure resilience in the Delta. We appreciated the chance to align on how mitigation can contribute to advancing flood safety and regional priorities.

12/09/2025

Employee Spotlight: Maria Caiola

Maria Caiola joined WES in June 2025 as our Business Development Representative for the Rocky Mountain Region, where she helps connect clients with mitigation credits.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Maria grew up camping with her family and soaking up many sunny weekends at the beach. After high school, she took a gap year to travel across Australia, where she fell in love with the environment and worked on conservation projects alongside Aboriginal communities. Her passion for people and nature led her to Colorado State University, where she earned a degree in Environmental Sociology studying the interactions between human society and the natural environment and focusing on environmental justice and policy.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Maria hiking Colorado’s beautiful trails with her adventure cat, catching live concerts with friends, hanging out at a local brewery, or floating down the river in Golden during the warmer seasons.

Keep an eye out for Maria at future conferences where WES is present! You won't want to miss all the awesome swag she gives away at our booths.

12/04/2025

Project Highlight: Shell N20 Mitigation Site

We're excited to share the recent completion of a 60-acre conservation site in Alameda County, California. This client-specific conservation project provides habitat for three local endangered species: California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog and San Joaquin kit fox.

We're thankful for all the partners who helped see this project through completion including the California Rangeland Trust! Together, we're making a difference for our local species and habitats.

12/03/2025

Wildlife Wednesday: San Joaquin Kit Fox 🦊

Welcome back to another Wildlife Wednesday! This week is on the San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica)

This small canid is an endangered species of kit fox native to the foothills and valleys of the San Joaquin Valley in California .

SJKF can be easily identified because of their tan coats, bushy black-tipped tail, and large ears. These foxes are also extremely small with adults capping at just 5 pounds!

WES is proud to have several projects in the Central Valley that provide much needed habitat and protection for SJKF!

12/01/2025

Project Approved: Belle Fourche Wetland Mitigation Bank

We are so excited to announce that we are now in South Dakota!

The Belle Fourche Wetland Mitigation Bank is a 40-acre restoration project located near Rapid City, South Dakota. The Banks aims to create and re-establish around 22 acres of wetland habitat north of the main stem of Elk Creek.

The site is designed to be a self-sustaining wetland system, relying on natural streamflow, precipitation, and groundwater to support the site’s hydrology. The site will support native plants, birds, amphibians, and invertebrates, while improving water quality, flood resiliency, and biodiversity.

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at WES 🦃

Address

3636 American River Drive, Suite 120
Sacramento, CA
95864

Website

http://wesmitigation.com/

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