Westervelt Ecological Services
20170321_144105

California High Speed Rail Project

California High Speed Rail Project

Landscape-oriented Mitigation Solutions

WES is working with the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) to provide a large, landscape-oriented mitigation solution for the section of the high-speed rail line that will run between Fresno and Bakersfield. As part of the contract with CHSRA, WES acquired, entitled, and permanently protected rare and threatened upland, riparian, and vernal pool habitats.

WES identified and acquired nine properties, working collaboratively with landowners, consisting of ~4,000-acres of upland and vernal pool wetland habitats, restoring up to 151 acres of wetland habitats.

WES is also collaborating with numerous other agencies including USFWS, USEPA, USACE, CDFW, Kern National Wildlife Refuge, California State Water Resources Control Board, and NFWF.

Antelope Plains 2021-07-31 001 k-rat

Partnering with the High Speed Rail

Properties for CHSR

Alkali Flats - 157.05 acres of habitat for the Blunt-nosed leopard lizard (BNLL), Tipton kangaroo rat (TKR), San Joaquin antelope squirrel (SJAS), and San Joaquin kit fox (SJKF).

Antelope Plains - 687.07 acres of habitat for SJAS.

CD Hillman - 223.43 acres of habitat for BNLL, TKR, SJAS, SJKF, and Swainson’s hawk.

Cottonwood - 243.31 acres of vernal pool and upland habitat for endangered species.

Cross Creek East and West - 1,227.63 acres of vernal pool and upland habitat for endangered species.

Kings River - 52.77 acres of wetland and riparian reestablishment, rehabilitation, enhancement, and preservation.

Lone Tree - WES is still working on approval of the 120 acre site that will provide habitat for the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew.

Lost Hills - 333.42 acre of habitat for the BNLL, TKR, SJKF.

Poso Plains - 340.82 acres of BNLL, and TKR, SJKF habitat.

CHSR gallery

2017-02-21_Site-Visit (wet)_5448 Alkali Mallow Kings River 2019-03-20 022 general site photo Alkali Flats 2019-09-18_004 Loggerhead Shrike Oct_Nov 2018 Construction_8048 Blunt-nose leopord lizard