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WRA, Inc. – Committed to Being Green WRA has been dedicated to restoration and protection of the environment from the company's inception in 1981. Our commitment to sustainability includes: An innovative and highly successful commuting program WRA Restoration Work Days Design and creation of a native plant garden Composting program Use of recycled products Use of Go-to-Meeting software to eliminate driving/flying to meetings with clients Bike to Work Day Certified Marin County Green Business PG&E Climate Smart Program Marin Green Business WRA became re-certified as a Marin Green Business in August 2009 through the Marin Green Business Program, a voluntary partnership among business leaders, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The program was developed by Bay Area public agencies in collaboration with the US EPA, Cal EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control and the business community. WRA installed efficient T-8 lighting for the entire office resulting in greater energy conservation. To learn more about the Green Business Program go to www.greenbiz.ca.gov. Commuting Program WRA's commuting program was started in 2006 and has resulted in over 50% employee participation. When an employee carpools or uses alternative transportation (bus, ferry, or bicycle) to get to work or the field more than 10 days in a month, he or she receives two additional hours of vacation time. This program has been a great incentive for WRA staff and increases camaraderie among co-workers creating a more productive and friendly environment.  WRA Restoration Work Days WRA staff gets together on a monthly basis to help organizations such as Point Reyes National Seashore, The Presidio Trust, Peninsula Open Space Trust, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area with their restoration efforts by removing invasive plant species, installing native plants, and removing trash.  Go-to-Meeting Software WRA has installed and uses a software program called “Go-to-Meeting” to use for online client meetings. The program allows invited users to view and comment on WRA's documents, such as maps and reports.  This software program has been utilized for many meetings, saving time, money, and resources by eliminating the need for clients or WRA staff to drive or fly to project meetings. You can download a trial version of Go-to-Meeting here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/?Portal=www.gotomeeting.com. Bike to Work Day Every year, WRA employees participate in “Bike-to-Work Day.”  In recent years WRA has become active in “Bike-to-Work Month” by forming teams of cyclists who earn points by cycling instead of driving to work or to run errands. In 2009, WRA achieved second place for number of points earned in the small business category for firms throughout the Bay Area – WRA employees cycled over 1,677 miles during “Bike-to-Work Month.” In 2008 WRA provided a local repairperson to spend several hours tuning up employee bicycles – over 60% of WRA employees received a free bike tune up in 2008 and again in 2010. Native Plant Garden On any given day, you might find two or three WRA employees working on their lunch breaks to establish a native plant garden outside of our offices.  On our time we provided a re-design of the entire bayfront landscaping for our office complex, and the property owner implemented this native landscaping plan in late 2009. We expect that the use of local plant species will attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.  Composting Program We provide a compost bucket in the office kitchen which is deposited into a larger compost bin just outside our office on a daily basis. As our native plant garden is established, we expect to put our compost to use here at the office. Use of Recycled Products WRA only uses recycled paper products; we make an effort to purchase used office furniture, and other items to cut down on waste. Climate Smart We contribute to a PG&E program called Climate Smart. Contributing to this fund helps us to be climate neutral.  We pay an extra charge each month based on our monthly Kilowatt Hours used. All the money goes to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Examples of projects funded through this program are: PG&E partnering with non-profits to preserve two forests – Lompico Forest and Garcia River Forest. Livestock  and landfill methane capture Urban forestry. The program is administrated through a small rate component paid by all PG&E customers.   To learn more about Climate Smart go to www.pge.com/climatesmart
» WRA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Volunteer Restoration Work Day at el Polin Springs Thanks to everyone who helped out at the el Polin Springs Work Day in October. We had a phenomenal turn out for the restoration hike and stunning weather to enjoy it. Nearly 20 stewards from the work day stayed to discuss restoration and management of natural communities in the Presidio and Tennessee Hollow with Presidio Trust’s Brian Hildebidle and Brett Stevenson. About half this crowd continued on the hike to learn about and discuss restoration going on and planned for el Polin Springs and northeast grassland, Morton Street Ballfield, and the Quartermaster Reach associated with Doyle Drive. Barbara Corff shared a myriad of knowledge about the history and historical ecology of Tennessee Hollow.
5/24/10	WRA is Awarded Assembly Member Jared Huffman's April Sustainable North Bay Award On Friday, April 9, 2010 Assembly Member Jared Huffman presented his April Sustainable North Bay Award to WRA in recognition of our work in restoring fish habitats and for instituting an environmental stewardship business climate in our office. WRA employees participate in a commuting program that includes bike-to-work days. We participate in community service projects, enjoy a community native garden, and support an office composting program. Additionally, WRA only uses recycled products for office supplies and furniture. See the full article at Assembly Member Jared Huffman's official web site.
5/24/10	WRA’s Bixby Marshlands Enhancement and Public Education Project Wins a Professional Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects - Northern California Chapter The American Society of Landscape Architects - Northern California Chapter (ASLA-NCC) presented Professional Awards to Northern California landscape architects in acknowledgement of excellence in several design categories on April 22 at its annual meeting and professional awards presentation in San Francisco.  At the event, the ASLA-NCC presented WRA’s George Salvaggio, Giselle Goulette, and landscape architecture staff with an Honor Award in the Energy, Water Conservation, and Sustainability Design Category for the Bixby Marshlands Enhancement and Public Education Project located in Carson, California.   For the Bixby Marshlands project, WRA worked with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts to re-introduce water into an old remnant tidal marsh and design new wetland and riparian habitat, an outdoor classroom for teaching wetland ecology to local public schools, and a place for local wildlife enthusiasts to view wildlife.  WRA worked diligently to integrate public access into the wetland habitat without damaging or disturbing the wetlands or wildlife.  The new public facilities include a parking area for visitors and school buses, a botanical garden that features native coastal scrub and riparian plant species, an outdoor educational area, marsh overlooks and wildlife viewing areas, shade pavilions, a system of ADA accessible trails, a marsh boardwalk, and interpretive signs.  The use of sustainable practices and materials was a priority, including capturing and treatment of stormwater in bioswales and wetlands on site, using recycled materials to construct site furnishings, and salvaging exotic trees from the site for use in new construction. This project demonstrates that Landscape Architects can embrace ecological complexity and integrate science with design to allow both people and nature to thrive in close proximity. This requires a synthesis of all of the systems and factors that together create a sustainable site, including hydrology, native habitat restoration, soil conservation, stormwater treatment, invasive plant removal, recreation, accessibility, outdoor education, public facilities, and aesthetics. View slideshow of our Bixby Marshlands Enhancement and Publication Project
1/21/10	WRA's Justin Semion Selected for the Subtidal Habitats Goals Committee The San Francisco Bay Subtidal Habitat Goals Project is a collaborative effort to establish a comprehensive and long-term management vision for research, restoration and management of the subtidal habitats of the San Francisco Bay. As a selected member of the restoration subcommittee, WRA's Justin Semion will provide scientific and permitting guidance in the development of restoration goals and implementation methods. The Project is an interagency partnership between the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), the California Coastal Conservancy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the San Francisco Estuary Partnership. The objective of the Subtidal Habitat Goals Project is to complete a report that establishes restoration and management goals for eight San Francisco Bay subtidal and intertidal habitats. The San Francisco Bay Subtidal Habitat Goals Project committee meetings are scheduled to occur through May 2010, with a report to follow later in the year. New North Coast Office WRA is pleased announce the opening of a North Coast office. Headed by Matt Richmond, our new office will serve existing North Coast clients in addition to expanding WRA's current services. North Coast Office 282 South Main Street Willits, CA  95490 707-459-1067
11/3/09	WRA Landscape Architecture Brown Bag Lunch Series WRA Landscape Architecture hosted a brown bag presentation at our offices on the topic of stormwater management in the context of LEED and the Sustainable Sites Initiative. Victoria Chanse, PhD, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, Clemson University Title:  Investigating Ecological Design Guidelines as a Framework for Planning a Stormwater Retrofit Project in Aiken, South Carolina Abstract:  With the development of LEED for Neighborhood Development guidelines and more recently, the Sustainable Sites Initiative TM guidelines and performance benchmarks, ecological design guidelines play a growing role in all phases of project development. Since 2008, Clemson University Restoration Institute and the Center for Watershed Excellence have been working with the City of Aiken in South Carolina to develop a river restoration approach to resolve the severe erosion caused by stormwater runoff from the downtown area. This research investigates how one particular aspect of this project - the green infrastructure demonstration project in downtown Aiken - can be examined within the framework of the Sustainable Sites Initiative TM design guidelines to assess sustainable approaches to project planning, materials, construction, stormwater, and ecology. This research will address the question of how Aiken’s stormwater management approaches, designs, and construction phases are evolving within the framework provided by the SSI design guidelines. This will build upon existing research on public involvement and stormwater management practices in Aiken. This talk will 1) introduce the project context and the Sustainable Sites Initiative TM guidelines; 2) discuss the project details; and 3) evaluate how the Sustainable Sites Initiative TM pilot project guidelines are shaping Aiken’s green infrastructure demonstration project.
10/9/09	WRA Provides Expert Advice to Chinese Government on Stormwater Treatment Techniques WRA's Mike Josselyn was selected to provide expert advice and training to the City of Beijing on stormwater treatment using Low Impact Development techniques and wetland treatment systems. From September 12-18, he was part of an eight member group of experts from the US who were in China to discuss the latest technology and techniques in water treatment—from waste water to storm runoff. Dr. Josselyn presented an overview of stormwater treatment based on WRA's experience in designing stormwater treatment wetlands and LID facilities. Since the Olympics, the City has been striving to improve the overall quality of the rivers and canals that run through it. WRA's experience and knowledge about low cost, effective landscaping controls, and wetland designs will prove valuable as new development proceeds.
7/9/09	Rainwater Catchment - A Sustainable Water Source for Development WRA is promoting Rainwater Catchment as one of several sustainable services that conserves water and reduces runoff from developments. We will be traveling to Mendocino County in July to host an inter-municipal workshop with the County of Mendocino, the City of Fort Bragg, and California State Parks. The workshop will provide planners with information on the benefits of rainwater harvesting, design basics, and a review of national, state, and regional regulations. Tim Pope, president of ARCSA (American Rainwater Catchment System Association), will be the key presenter. WRA will present a case study that demonstrates the benefits of using rainwater catchment for private homes in this climatic region. This case examines the feasibility of using rainwater in a variety of manners including drinking water, flushing toilets, washing clothes, irrigating landscape plants, and providing water for livestock. Wine Business Monthly, recently published an article that provides an excellent summary of the ‘state of the art’ of rainwater catchment and how this technology is being used to re-shape the wine industry. Read the full article: Rainwater Harvesting, New Sustainable Water Source for Wineries Integrating Wetland Habitat into Stormwater Treatment Basins WRA is striving to become the leader in integrating wetland and riparian habitat into stormwater treatment basins. Success at the Pacific Commons Stormwater Treatment Basin illustrates how we have been applying our knowledge of restoration ecology to create viable wetland habitat within stormwater treatment basins. We carefully established a variety of water depths throughout the basin and then selected the appropriate native wetland plant species that thrive at these different depths. We also utilized some innovative planting techniques, such as planting dry and summer irrigation to mitigate adverse affects of flooding and predation by geese. The most exciting result is that, after only ten months, the plants are the growing and spreading at an incredible rate, and the wetland is already being used by a variety of bird species including egrets, ducks, and night heron.  Pacific Commons Stormwater Photos Integrating Public Access into Wetland Habitat Areas - Grand Opening of the Restored Bixby Marshland WRA is proud to announce the grand opening of the newly restored Bixby Marshland in Carson, California. We have been working with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts to re-introduce water into an old remnant tidal marsh. We have created new wetland and riparian habitat, an outdoor classroom for teaching wetland ecology to local public schools, and a wonderful place for local wildlife enthusiasts to view wildlife. We worked hard to integrate public access into the wetland habitat without damaging or disturbing the wetlands or wildlife. The marsh includes a parking area for school buses, a botanical garden that features native coastal scrub and riparian plant species, several demonstration stormwater treatment wetlands and swales, two out door teaching areas, and an ADA trail system that includes a boardwalk through the wetland, which provides access to two wildlife viewing areas. Besides the wildlife, the highlight of the marshland is the new round shade structure that was constructed from non-native invasive eucalyptus trees that were cut down as part of the restoration of the marsh.  Wildlife sightings in the Marshland include Northern Shoveler, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Allen’s Hummingbird, Marsh Wren, Common Yellow-throat, Fox Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Say’s Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Lincoln’s Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Cooper’s Hawk, Killdee, Black Necked Stilt, and American Kestrel. The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts is hosting a Grand Opening of Bixby Marsh on July 16th from 9:00AM to 11:00AM at 24501 South Figueroa Street, Carson, California. The public is welcome! Bixby Marshland Photos
4/21/09	Tom Fraser on Marketing Panel at San Francisco Conference Tom Fraser, President of WRA, Inc., participated in a panel of architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firm presidents and CEOs at ZweigWhite’s 2009 A/E Marketing Now Summit, that took place May 21-22. The CEOs on the panel addressed the value and importance of marketing from the mile-high point-of-view, including: what they feel their own marketing roles are; how they interact with the marketers on their staff;  what results they expect from marketing initiatives; and whether they are planning to spend more on marketing now or less, and why.
4/14/09	WRA's Tim DeGraff Receives 40 Under 40 Award WRA's Tim DeGraff was selected by the North Bay Business Journal to receive their 2009 Forty Under 40 award. The forty winners were chosen on the basis of their leadership in companies and organizations across the North Bay. Congratulations to Tim and all the other outstanding winners!
4/1/09	Environmental Business Journal Interviews WRA’s President Tom Fraser and Vice President Tim DeGraff As a leader in California’s environmental consulting industry, WRA was asked to comment on the recent federal guidance related to wetland delineation and wetland mitigation. Read the full article: Federal Guidance on Wetlands Delineation Creates Pockets of Opportunity, Confusion
11/20/08	WRA, Inc. Announces New Leadership » View announcement Effective January 1, 2009— WRA has implemented two exciting management changes with the appointment of Tom Fraser as President and Tim DeGraff as Senior Vice President. After 27 years as President of WRA, Michael Josselyn will serve as our Chairman of the Board. He will continue to provide his expertise to clients, assist in strategic planning, and mentor WRA staff. We look forward to continuing our focus on clients’ needs and seeking solutions that address the changing environmental services field.
9/3/08	WRA, Inc. kicks off work on the Upper Fresno River Watershed Assessment WRA, Inc. was selected by the County of Madera to prepare a watershed assessment and web-based watershed portal for the Upper Fresno River Watershed.  The project is being funded by a grant from the California Department of Water Resources for the purposes of identifying watershed-related issues, such as pollutants, nutrient loads, as well as continued watershed monitoring and restoration activities. WRA will be working in collaboration with Wolf and Associates and Fresno State University to develop an internet based Watershed Portal that will allow agencies and the public to access a wide variety of maps and documents for use in watershed assessment studies. The firm will be responsible for developing specific land use GIS based models to focus on water quality, invasive species, and other land use issues. The Watershed Portal and the Assessment Study will be completed in late 2009.   Gretchen Coffman is the project manager for the study.
5/19/08	PRESS RELEASE: WRA, Inc. Develops Conservation Plan Model for Land Preservation at Tejon Ranch The State's largest private conservation land plan for the preservation of up to 240,000 acres at Tejon Ranch in southern California was based on a conservation model developed by WRA, Inc, of San Rafael, CA. The agreement between Tejon Ranch Corporation and five major environmental groups was reached on May 9, 2007. The selection of lands best suited to protect environmental resources and rare species was determined through application of conservation principles in a computer model developed by WRA. The GIS based model was first developed in 2005 for the Trust for Public Land for its original 100,000 acre purchase agreement. The model utilized extensive data collected at the Ranch and used Geographic Information System modeling to predict the location of the best lands suited for natural resource protection. The model used habitat characteristics to predict the locations where sensitive plant and animal species would be found. "Conservation planning on a large scale requires use of extensive datasets and the model allowed for us to understand which parts of the Ranch would include the best and most pristine habitats for conservation purposes," stated Dr. Michael Josselyn, President of the firm and the principal in charge of the project."We spent many days in the field understanding whether the model accurately predicted the best land values for conservation and were pleased that the results were validated by the environmental groups who used the model to select the lands that would be part of the final deal." The model assessed lands based on their value for watershed integrity, biodiversity, sensitive species habitat values, rare habitat types, and wildlife movement corridors. Over 50 data sources were used to run the model and establish those lands most likely to represent the highest conservation values. WRA, Inc. is an environmental consulting firm that provides services in biological sciences, landscape architecture, and GIS modeling. The firm was established in 1982 and its 45 person professional staff serves private and public clients.
4/15/08	WRA's Bill Stagnaro gains U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit for San Francisco Garter Snake and Alameda Whipsnake Mr. William Stagnaro, wildlife biologist with WRA, Inc. has been approved for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10(a)(1)(A) recovery permit for the federal endangered San Francisco Garter Snake and the federal threatened Alameda Whipsnake. This permit authorizes Mr. Stagnaro to capture, handle, and release these species in conjunction with trap-line population or presence/absence surveys. In addition Mr. Stagnaro currently holds U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permits for the California Red-legged Frog and the California Tiger Salamander... Read full article: Survey Services for San Francisco Garter Snake and Alameda Whipsnake
3/3/08	WRA starts work on the Yreka Creek Greenway Development Project… WRA, Inc. entered into contract with the City of Yreka as prime consultant teaming with Kamman Hydrology, Pacific Municipal Consultants, SHN Consulting Engineers, and Erica Fielder Studio to provide planning, engineering, and design services for the Yreka Creek Greenway Development Project. The project includes riparian restoration, trail design, expansion of floodplain storage capacity, improvements to salmon habitat, and provides for public access and educational components. WRA selected as prime consultant for Evergreen Specific Plan Area Evaluation and Remediation Project… WRA, Inc. teamed with Clearwater Hydrology to provide riparian evaluation and mitigation design for Quimby and Fowler Creeks located within the Evergreen Specific Plan Area of San Jose. This project involves evaluating current riparian conditions and providing guidance on additional improvements to increase environmental function and habitat area as required by the Evergreen Specific Plan Area EIR mitigation measures. WRA and Clearwater Hydrology will also work together to develop riparian mitigation and stream restoration construction drawings for implementation of recommended measures. Additionally, WRA will prepare a five-year maintenance plan and implement a monitoring-training program for City staff.
2/28/08	Mike Josselyn will be a Presenter at Two Seminars Coastal Development in California Seminar San Francisco, CA, March 5, 2008 ESHAs and Other Biological Issues Topics covered will include: Defining ESHAs and their Buffers Wetland Delineation Practices in the Coastal Zone Endangered Species — Flora and Fauna To find out more about this workshop go to: www.lorman.com 16th California Water Law Annual Conference San Francisco, CA, May 16, 2008 Wetlands Regulations, The Latest Developments Presented with Calvin Fong, Retired Chief, Regulatory Branch U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Topics covered will include: Rapanos Guidance New Delineation Manuals Endangered Species To find out more about this conference go to: www.cle.com/calwater
2/26/08	WRA, Inc. Contributes to the Pacific Commons Preserve Pacific Commons, a 444 acre preserve for vernal pool habitat in Fremont, CA, was transferred to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in January 2008. WRA designed, permitted, oversaw construction, and is currently monitoring the Preserve for Prologis, Inc as mitigation for a commercial and retail development. One of the largest vernal pool restoration projects in the state, the project restored over 90 acres of vernal pools and wetlands. The restoration provides habitat for a number of endangered and rare species including the Contra Costa goldfields, the California tiger salamander, the vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and the burrowing owl. The transfer to the Refuge was sooner than expected due to the success achieved at the Preserve. Contact Phil Greer at WRA for more information on this project.