Count on experience

With a combined total 75 years worth of professional experience you can be sure the Sig team is at the cutting edge of scientific research for a variety of natural resource management applications.

From small NGOs to large federal agencies, the Sig team has worked on over a 100 projects for myriad number of clients in various sectors. The project examples listed on this page speak for themselves.

Past Projects

A Life Cycle Approach to Natural Resource Management Efforts in SE Alaska: Prince of Whales Island.

Title: A Life Cycle Approach to Natural Resource Management Efforts in SE Alaska: Prince of Whales Island.
Client: The Nature Conservancy
Description:

A Carbon Comparison of Wood-Based Heating vs. Traditional Heating Oil Using a Landscape Network Analysis.

Estimating Ecosystem Services in Southern Ontario

Title: Estimating Ecosystem Services in Southern Ontario
Client: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)
Description:
In this project SIG estimated the economic values of ecosystem services in Southern Ontario. This project included extensive updating of the NAIS valuation database, development of a customized 21 category land cover and fresh water classification scheme, the mapping of all of Southern Ontario according to that scheme, and the summary of values by various geographic units.
More Info: Link
Biomass to Energy: LCA

Title: Biomass to Energy: LCA
Client: US Forest Service
Description:
SIG was a member of the Fire team that contributed to a collaboration of modelers, ecologists, foresters, economists, and analysts will be involved in developing the LCA model, populating it with data, and conducting studies to develop and complete the model. Two advisory committees will provide guidance for this effort, one helping the team understand sensitive policy issues and the other providing technical advice. The LCA project was conducted in phases over a 3- to 5-year period. The ultimate product of this project will be a comprehensive model that policy and decision makers can use to support development of public policy for renewable energy and forest health.
Biomass Feasability Analysis

Title: Biomass Feasability Analysis
Client: Multiple
Description: SIG has teamed up with TSS on numerous projects to conduct biomass feasibility analysis and feed stock supply analysis for site including; Mendocino,  Applegate, El Dorado, and more…
A Regional Comparative Analysis of Modeled Wildfire Behavior and Wildfire Emissions Outputs Generated from LANDFIRE and On The Ground Data Inputs.

Title: A Regional Comparative Analysis of Modeled Wildfire Behavior and Wildfire Emissions Outputs Generated from LANDFIRE and On The Ground Data Inputs.
Client: The Nature Conservancy
Description:
This study compared fire behavior and emissions predictions made from out-of-the-box LANDFIRE data to those made with field-based on-the-ground data.  For forested vegetation, all four study sites showed significantly greater fire behavior and emissions when using LANDFIRE data, which can mostly be attributed to differences in forest and fuel characteristics mapping.  Local data is generally considered more appropriate for projects of the scale examined here, but acquiring field based data is costly and time consuming.  Additionally, application of plot-based data to landscapes is an important consideration in assessing the accuracy of these types of simulations.  Modification of LANDFIRE inputs based on field data may be the most desirable alternative at this point.  As the accuracy of remotely sensed inputs improves, their use at smaller scales may become more viable. 
Developing and Testing a Framework for Estimating Potential Emission Reduction Credits: a pilot study in Shasta County, California, USA

Title: Developing and Testing a Framework for Estimating Potential Emission Reduction Credits: a pilot study in Shasta County, California, USA
Client: Winrock International
Description:

Developed a methodology that that uses scientifically based models for predicting changes in fire behavior and related emissions, both with and without hazardous fuels reduction treatments.  To make these predictions, our report focuses on the development and testing of four elements in this framework: fire probability mapping, delineation of firesheds, choice of a fuel classification standard, and a baseline fire hazard assessment (without fuels treatments).

Massachusetts Biomass Sustainability and Carbon Policy Study

Title: Massachusetts Biomass Sustainability and Carbon Policy Study
Client: Manomet
Description: Spatial Informatics Group is working with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences to evaluate the forest carbon storage implications of several biomass energy development scenarios in Massachusetts. The study will evaluate stand-level forest management practices as well as statewide forest-level carbon budgets.
Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District Carbon Demonstration Project

Title: Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District Carbon Demonstration Project
Client: Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Androscoggin County Soil and Water Conservation District
Description:
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (Gunn) and Spatial Informatics Group are partnering with the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Androscoggin County Soil and Water Conservation District on their work to develop a forest carbon offset demonstration project in Oxford County. The project will evaluate carbon credit eligibility on a 200 acre parcel under the Voluntary Carbon Standard and the Climate Action Reserve Forest Project Protocol.
Minnesota North Woods Partnership

Title: Minnesota North Woods Partnership
Client: Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments
Description: Dovetail Partners Inc., Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (Gunn), and Spatial Informatics Group collaborated with the Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments to form the Minnesota North Woods Carbon Partnership. The Blandin Foundation supported a study by Manomet and SIG to evaluate carbon credit eligibility under the Chicago Climate Exchange Forest Protocol and a proposed methodology under the Voluntary Carbon Standard. (completed June 2009)  The Climate Action Reserve (CAR) 3.0 Forest Project Protocol was approved at the completion of this study. Since that time, we determined that the VCS methodology evaluated would likely meet the public lands requirements under CAR.
Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNF) Family Forest Carbon Project

Title: Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNF) Family Forest Carbon Project
Client: NRCS
Description:
Spatial Informatics Group (SIG) partnered with John Gunn at TCNF to develop baseline and Improved Forest Management scenarios for twelve family forest landowners throughout Maine. The NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant funded study pre-dated functional forest carbon protocols applicable to the Northeast US (with the exception of Chicago Climate Exchange). The study estimated carbon eligibility of modified forest management activities compared to a business as usual forest practices baseline.
Cockreham Island Ecological Economic Evaluation

Title: Cockreham Island Ecological Economic Evaluation
Client: Skagit County, WA/ Northern Economics, Inc.
Description: For this project, SIG conducted an ecosystem service valuation assessment of a floodplain area in Skagit County, WA. The study looked at the habitat value that would be created through buying out and restoring floodplain properties to help county decision makers target parcels for purchase.
Demonstrating the Net Benefits of Site Cleanup: An Evaluation of Ecological and Economic Metrics at Two Superfund Sites

Title: Demonstrating the Net Benefits of Site Cleanup: An Evaluation of Ecological and Economic Metrics at Two Superfund Sites
Client: US EPA
Description:
Cockreham Island Ecological Economic Evaluation
For the ecosystem services component of this study, SIG looked at whether ecosystem services valuation was an appropriate methodology for assessing the benefits from Superfund Cleanup. This methodology was then compared to several others, such as Habitat Equivalency Analysis. The ecosystem services valuation method was applied to two cleanup sites, Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida and Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado.
Accounting for Wetland-Related Ecosystem Good and Services at Eglin Air Force Base

Title: Accounting for Wetland-Related Ecosystem Good and Services at Eglin Air Force Base
Client: US Dept. of Defense/ Booz-Allen Hamilton
Description: For this project SIG conducted an ecosystem service value assessment for the large complex of wetlands in Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Assessment of the Efficacy of the California BLM Community Assistance and Hazardous Fuels Program

Title: Assessment of the Efficacy of the California BLM Community Assistance and Hazardous Fuels Program
Client: California BLM
Description:
The ecosystem service assessment portion of this team study estimated and mapped the value of ecosystem services for three California counties: Humboldt, Napa and San Bernardino. In addition to summarizing these values by watershed and comparing them to values of property improvements, SIG also assessed the possible loss to ecosystem service values under certain burn scenarios.
Maury Island Ecological Economic Assessment

Title: Maury Island Ecological Economic Assessment
Client: King County, Washington
Description:
For its portion of this team project, SIG estimated and mapped the ecosystem service values for a small island in Puget Sound, Washington, including offshore habitat, and assessed the potential losses to ecosystem service values from two scenarios: construction of a gravel mine and full buildout under allowable zoning. This was part of a larger project that included biological studies of the nearshore environment and economic studies on the surrounding communities.
Massachusetts Audubon Losing Ground Study (third edition)

Title: Massachusetts Audubon Losing Ground Study (third edition)
Client: Massachusetts Audubon Society
Description: SIG mapped the ecosystem values for Massachusetts, summarized them by watershed, and assessed the change in ecosystem service values over time. This was part of Massachusetts Audubon’s Losing Ground project, whose purpose was to look at the impacts of urban expansion in the state.