Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. (GEE) is an ecological consulting group working with a diverse range of public and private clients. We provide services to the industrial, legal, real estate, conservation, and design professions, helping them to make creative, sound business decisions when facing environmental and ecological issues. From cleaning up and restoring contaminated areas, to minimizing the impact of development on natural resources, to ensuring a company's green policies are well integrated and beneficial to its bottom line, we're here to make certain your actions work today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

For businesses and the environment - We make it better.

email: info@greateasternecology.com

HOME

COMPANY
LOCATION • STAFF • NEWS • CAREERS
As a leader in the field of ecology, GEE understands that few business decisions or environmental issues are black and white. We understand the factors required to design a solution that will not only work today, but well into the future. We understand the ramifications a single decision can have - from impacting profits, to impacting the environment. Which is why the people behind GEE work strategically to help you make sustainable, ecologically minded decisions that support your overall business objectives. We have the broad interdisciplinary skill set to implement and complete your projects.
At GEE we create solutions that work for the environment, as well as the businesses and people within them.

LOCATION
Great Eastern Ecology is proud to be located on the upper west side of Manhattan, where we have easy access to the region by car and train, and the nation by three international airports.

When visiting Great Eastern Ecology, please use our 246 West 80th Street entrance. If traveling by cab, request the intersection of 80th Street and Broadway, if traveling by subway take the 1 Train to the 79th Street stop and walk to the intersection of 80th Street and Broadway. Our entrance is on the downtown side of 80th Street between H&H Bagels and New York Sports Club. Take the elevator to the fourth floor and we will greet you.

MAIN OFFICE
2231 Broadway, Suite 4
New York, NY 10024

CANADA OFFICE
60 Shade Street
Cambridge, Ontario, CA NIR4J8

COLORADO OFFICE
P.O. Box 2736
Grand Juction, CO 81502

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

STAFF
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. maintains a staff of over fifteen highly-trained scientists, hydrologists, landscape architects and engineers. Our world-class training, educational credentials and vast experience enable us to develop a customized, elegant and cost-effective approach to solving our clients needs. The following brief biographies give an overview of staff credentials.

Mark S. Laska, Ph.D
CEO and President
Dr. Mark S. Laska has 20 years of experience as an ecologist, focusing on terrestrial and wetland biology and ecological strategy for private sector clients. He founded GEE in 2001. Many of his projects have focused on wetland restoration and planning, and routinely involves the design, evaluation, permitting, and management of wetland and stream restoration projects, created wetlands, and constructed treatment wetlands. Dr. Laska has been involved in restoration work at every scale, ranging from complex, multiorganizational, interdisciplinary projects that encompass large geographic areas and numerous stakeholders to smaller restoration projects for a single client. He also focuses extensively on Natural Resource Damage projects, helping clients leverage existing assets to offset financial penalties. During the dot com years, he co-founded Blink.com, and served as VP, business development. Prior to this, he founded and managed the New York City office of the publicly traded Exponent Environmental Group (NAS: EXPO) and was a senior ecologist at the international headquarters of TAMS Consultants, Inc.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Celine Santiago Bass, Ph.D.
Vice President, Senior Ecologist
Dr. Celine Santiago Bass has 12 years of scientific experience examining various environmental issues including interactions between contaminants and terrestrial and aquatic organisms. As a certified Ecologist and Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS), she has spent the last 10 years honing her skills as an ecologist, specializing in wetland habitats. Dr. Santiago Bass also has several years of experience working in the environmental consulting sector, conducting ecological evaluations, wetland delineations, mitigation benchmarking and monitoring, environmental site assessments, and threatened and endangered species surveys. She has prepared numerous environmental impact statements, baseline ecological evaluation reports (BEE), Phase I environmental site assessments, and natural resource permits for various Federal, State, and coastal permitting programs. Dr. Santiago Bass has a B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in Biology from Rutgers University, a M.S. in Environmental Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution from Rutgers University.

Serge Stanich
Senior Managing Scientist
Serge Stanich has 9 years of experience as a regulatory specialist and project manager overseeing complex and controversial projects involving environmental permitting and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System as well as a variety of state and local permitting. Mr. Stanich worked 7 years for Jones & Stokes, a west coast based environmental consulting firm, where he handled permitting projects throughout the western United States. Mr. Stanich specializes in developing strategies and securing environmental permits with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under its authority with Section 401 and 404 of the CWA and with related permitting associated with other state and federal agencies including Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service and water quality certifications with state permitting authorities. Some of Mr. Stanich's projects include permitting and construction oversight of long-haul telecommunications projects for fiber-optic companies, flood control and water supply projects for municipal water companies, vineyard construction and water rights negotiations and commercial real-estate development.

STAFF
Andrew Block

Dan Dvorett

Margaret Gargiullo, Ph.D.

Zak Lehmann

Michael Lieberman

Ian Lipsky

Phoebe McMellon, M.S.

Matthew McMahon

Lynda Miller

Michael Parkes, M.S.

Bojana Saleeby

Sarah Welch

CANADA STAFF
Andrew Block

Zach Lehmann

Cheryl Calaustro

Kristen Schaumburg

Edward "EJ" Raynor

Amy Hanson

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

CAREERS
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. is a consulting firm dedicated to creating a fun, exciting, and hard working professional atmosphere with a national clientele.

We offer competitive salaries and benefits. Please send resume and cover letter, brief salary history, and three references via fax (212-496-4034) or email (jobs@geeinc.net).

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

SERVICES
ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION • BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS • ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & PERMITTING • CONTAMINATED SITES • ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION • GREEN DESIGN
GEE works strategically with clients from the public and private sectors to manage projects with a focus on ecology and your overall business objectives. Because of our experience and the breadth of our resources, we can move seamlessly through the worlds of science, development, policy, design, and natural resource technology to help you make decisions that improve the environment, while supporting the health of your business.

Decision-makers rely on us for our insight, our hands-on approach, and our ability to mitigate the negative environmental impacts that often impede projects. Clients rely on us for our ecological integrity and our ability to solve environmental problems cost-effectively. We function on the premise that no issue is too difficult, too big, or too small to prevent us from changing things for the better.

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION
The creation, enhancement, and/or restoration of ecological habitat provide valuable benefits to environmental systems and the species and people that rely on them. Using bioengineering techniques, degraded coastal and freshwater wetlands, upland riparian, forest, and stream habitats can be enhanced in both urban and rural areas. Businesses can improve habitats to mitigate on-site impacts, and advocacy groups and natural resource agencies enhance and restore wetlands to improve ecosystem function and value. With over 12 years experience in wetland restoration and habitat enhancement sciences, Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. staff are leading practitioners of this new and exciting field. Our scientists have been involved in high profile restoration projects, including the 10,000-acre Delaware Bay restoration and the 85-acre Brooklyn Bridge Park design.

Bonnie Brae Stream Restoration
Westchester, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. designed a habitat enhancement and stream bank restoration in Westchester County, NY along the Sheldrake River. The project has several objectives: (1) to enhance river and riparian habitat; (2) to stabilize stream banks along a stretch of the Sheldrake River; and (3) to create new fish, amphibian and avian habitat throughout the system using bio-engineering techniques.

Gardens Lake Wetland Creation
Westchester, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. is the lead designer for a habitat enhancement and lake restoration project in Westchester County, NY. The project has several objectives: (1) to remove sediments from Garden's Lake; (2) to design and create a freshwater marsh using the dredge spoils from the lake; and (3) to create new fish, amphibian and avian habitat throughout the system using bio-engineering techniques.

Randalls Island Salt Marsh Restoration
New York, NY
To offset the construction of a bicycle and pedestrian path in Riverside Park, Manhattan, New York City Parks Department was required to perform a mitigation project that called for the addition of salt marsh to Randalls Island. Working with RGR Landscape, Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. scientists completed a site review and delivered design documents and a monitoring plan for the salt marsh restoration. The construction of the project is planned for spring 2007 at which time GEE scientists will oversee construction.

National Estuarine Research Reserve System Restoration Program Assessment
Silver Springs, MD
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. conducted an assessment of current programming for restoration science and education across the 25 NOAA NERRS reserves in collaboration with Dr. David Yozzo of BVA. This included collecting and assessing data on the reserve system1s restoration science and education activities, conducting site visits to numerous reserves, and synthesizing the results along with recommendations for future activities. The final report was submitted to NOAA and then to the US Congress in 2003. A peer-reviewed paper, co-authored by Drs. Laska and Yozzo, was published in Ecological Restoration (Ecological Restoration,
Volume 24, Number 1, March 2006, pp. 13-21(9)).

Manursing Lake Estuarine Restoration Feasibility Study
Rye, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. completed a Feasibility Study to examine the existing biotic and abiotic conditions in Manursing Lake and to identify and evaluate alternative approaches to estuarine restoration in this unique 3coastal lake2 habitat. The goal of the project was to determine the preferred method to return natural tidal hydrology to Manursing Lake and an adjacent impoundment. The project will likely be constructed when funding permits.

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

BIOLOGICAL SURVEY
Habitat studies occur for many reasons, such as when new reserves are established, when restoration or remedial action is planned for a site, when new projects are planned for an area near natural resources, or when developing baseline data. At Great Eastern Ecology, Inc., we have the resources and experience to monitor, assess, map, evaluate, quantify and document species occurrences, and assess ecological communities. With over 20 years of experience to draw upon and a staff of highly trained scientists, we provide cost effective solutions using time-tested approaches and state-of-the-art technology including GPS/GIS and other remote sensing devices.

Sonoran Desert Biological Assessment
Pinal County, AZ
GEE is undertaking a series of biological assessments of large expanses of Sonoran Desert habitat in Arizona for a private real estate developer. Data collection has included desert wash corridor vegetation surveys, and flora and fauna censuses. In two projects, GEE has been permitted to relocate Burrowing Owls (Speotyto cunicularia) to restored desert habitats.

Jamaica Bay Beneficial Use of Dredging Materials
Queens, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. provided field support to NYSDEC for gill netting, otter trawls and benthic grab sediment sampling as part of an ongoing multi-year prerestoration study. GEE also completed a multivariate statistical evaluation of the biotic and abiotic data collected throughout the study to guide restoration planning.
The report is here: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg2/jbborrow/pdf/gee01.pdf

Habitat Survey and Ecological Risk Assessment
Morristown, NJ
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. conducted a detailed natural resources inventory of a 90-acre wetland site that has been contaminated with lead shot from 40 years as a gun club shooting range. The ecological assessment included a wetland evaluation, avian, herpetological, and benthic macroinvertebrate studies, stream assessment analysis, and a plant community analysis. GEE also conducted bioassay studies, trapped small mammals, fish and earthworms on the site and completed tissue toxicological studies on several species. GEE completed an ecological risk assessment and is developing a restoration and NRD strategy.

Westchester Land Trust Biological Evaluation
Pound Ridge, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. designed and developed several documents for Westchester County's longest environmental trail (10 miles). GEE scientists created a bird species list, a plant species list, trail maps, and a self-guided interpretive trail for visitors to the Westchester Wilderness Walk. GEE has also completed a biological report and habitat management recommendations.The brochure and map can be viewed at: http://www.efcg.com/www.html. GEE in collaboration with Alek Friedman created a documentary of the story of the Westchester Wilderness Walk.

Soledad Canyon Mitigation Strategy
Santa Clarita, CA
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. developed a mitigation strategy to offset a proposed residential development adjacent to the Santa Clarita River in southern California. Restoration activities include re-routing a stream, creating new vegetated habitat, and contributing to a local land trust to preserve off-site habitat.

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING AND PLANNING
Baseline ecological data and habitat monitoring for affected natural systems are part of the environmental and land use planning and permitting process. Natural resource regulatory agencies often require habitat enhancement, restoration or mitigation activities. Whether you need ecological guidance for a commercial development or a road map for protecting species or habitats, we can devise the right environmental strategy. Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. staff use sound scientific principles to accomplish your objectives. We utilize state-of-the-art science and technology along with the leadership of our principals and a staff of highly trained and motivated scientists to provide you with world-class ecological guidance.

Antares Real Estate
Greenwich, CT
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. staff has overseen the environmental compliance of a series of projects in Greenwich, CT. These include the world1s largest spec house, a number of other residential projects and the restoration of a wetland meadow.

Peter Michael Winery Expansion
Sonoma, CA
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. provides environmental permitting support to complete the construction of a new vineyard which will produce world-class pinot noir grapes in northwestern Sonoma County. Permitting involved coordination with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to secure a timber harvest plan and timber conversion permit, and an individual permit with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Fish and Game and the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Sands Point Master Plan
Nassau, Long Island
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. was part of a master planning team lead by Beyer Blinder Belle and including Phillips Preiss & Shapiro, Inc. and Michael Van Valkenburgh Assoc., Inc. The Sands Point Preserve is comprised of 216 acres in the Village of Sands Point. This early-1900s Gold Coast estate includes two castles, two early twentieth century manor homes, a mile of direct beachfront on Long Island Sound, six hiking trails, and changing natural history exhibits for the public's benefit. Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. contributed to the environmental and ecological restoration components of the project.

Glen Cove Redevelopment
Long Island, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. developed the ecological, environmental and habitat enhancement strategy for the Glen Cove Harbor re-development plan. The project includes a mixed-use residential and commercial development on two former Superfund sites (Li Tungsten and Mattiace) and a former New York State hazardous waste site. The goal is to enhance and restore a variety of habitats including intertidal wetland, freshwater wetland, beach/dune habitat, and upland habitat.

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

CONTAMINATED SITES
Businesses are under tremendous pressure to comply with a myriad of environmental regulations. Whether restoring brownfields or industrial sites, enhancing a natural area adjacent to an affected site, performing a planned release, expanding operations or dealing with an accidental spill, there often are ecological and natural resource issues that must be dealt with. Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. addresses potential or actual natural resource damages. We provide baseline and comparative data to help our clients make sound business decisions and to ensure complete regulatory compliance. We also collect, evaluate and interpret ecological information, conduct habitat evaluations, assess the risk to the local ecosystem, propose remedial action plans, and implement and monitor our proposed plan. Our staff are all OSHA trained.

NRDA Strategy
Meadowlands, NJ
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. is developing an ecological strategy in the New Jersey Meadowlands involving wetland and habitat enhancement and restoration.

Constructed Treatment Wetland
Orange, TX
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. conducted a Feasibility Study to examine the use of a 22 acre constructed wetlands for treating copper and zinc in the water effluent from a large industrial facility. The Texas Commission for Environmental Quality lowered the copper discharge limit for the facility. In response, GEE designed the constructed treatment wetland to capture metals from the water before the effluent reaches Cow Bayou and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico.

Ecological Risk Assessment
Morristown, NJ
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. conducted a detailed natural resources inventory of a 90-acre wetland site that has been contaminated with lead shot from 40 years as a gun club shooting range. The ecological assessment included a wetland evaluation, avian, herpetological, and benthic macroinvertebrate studies, stream assessment analysis, and a plant community analysis. GEE also conducted bioassay studies, trapped small mammals, fish and earthworms on the site and completed tissue toxicological studies on several species. GEE completed an ecological risk assessment and is developing a restoration and NRD strategy.

RCRA Corrective Measures Study, and Ecological Habitat Enhancement
Wiggins, MS
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc., working with Premier Environmental Services, contributed to a Corrective Measures Study, Ecological Risk Assessment and Ecological Habitat Enhancement for the site on Church Branch. GEE is focusing on sediment and water quality analyses as well as improving existing beaver pond habitats. Intensive field efforts are planned for fall 2007.

Penn and Fountain Landfill
Brooklyn, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. is conducting an intensive one-year survey of avian population dynamics at a 300-acre landfill on Jamaica Bay, New York. GEE ornithologists and wildlife technicians are collecting avian data from one hour before sunrise to one after sunset seven days a week for one full year.

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION
For many of our clients, a technical study, report, or restoration design are only parts of a project. Often the results need to be communicated with a broad spectrum of interested parties, stakeholders and the general public. The ultimate reader of a report might be someone with limited technical background. Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. has significant experience developing brochures, websites, PR documents, presentations, posters, signs and other documents for the public and specific audiences. We have even made documentary film presentations, such as one created for the Westchester Land Trust.

Westchester Wilderness Walk Signage, Brochures, Maps and Documentary
Westchester, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. designed and developed several public documents for Westchester County's longest environmental trail (10 miles). For instance, GEE scientists created a bird species list, a plant species list, trail maps, and a self-guided interpretive trail for visitors to the Westchester Wilderness Walk. GEE has also completed a biological report and habitat management recommendations.
The brochure and map can be viewed at: http://www.efcg.com/www.html

Central Park Nature Walk Brochure
New York, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. created a self-guided nature walk of ecological attributes that occur around the Central Park Reservoir. The work involved researching information on native and introduced plant species, presenting the materials in a brochure for the public, and the development of photographs and maps to accompany the information. Link to brochure: http://www.efcg.com/centralpk.html

Westchester County Planning Website
Westchester, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. designed a brochure and website summarizing the status of all restoration projects and activities throughout Westchester County. The brochure is distributed to visitors of all parks in the county.
The website can be accessed at the following URL: http://www.westchestergov.com/planning/environmental/AquaticRestorationSites/index.html

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES

GREEN DESIGN
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. scientists are specialists in green design for habitats, landscapes and building components. For instance, our scientists can help you develop a green roof or ecological garden, can design a vegetated stormwater treatment system, and can oversee construction of a variety of structural enhancements to reduce our impact on nature. The driver of green design projects might be a real estate developer interested in a tax credit, a cutting edge design approach, or a government entity achieving broad public goals. In all instances, our technical expertise can provide a winning strategy and design.

Brooklyn Bridge Park
New York, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. are the ecological designers for the Brooklyn Bridge Park team lead by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. The Master Plan was released in 2005, and GEE has contributed to both the schematic design and design development phases of the project. The 85-acre park, along 1.3 miles of East River waterfront will include the establishment of numerous sustainable, functioning habitats in the Park. These habitats will include vegetated dunes, coastal forest, shrubland, tidalpools, freshwater marshes, salt marshes, and a successional habitat island located upon an abandoned shipping pier.

Green Mixed-Use Re-Development
Yonkers, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. is the ecological design consultant for a mixed use redevelopment on the Hudson River in Yonkers, New York. The proposed sustainable development will include art galleries, a community center, and residential apartments. In addition to conducting a vegetation and wetland analysis of the site, GEE generated five concepts for ecological site enhancements. These ecological enhancements include an interior freshwater treatment wetland, living walls planted with native ferns and mosses, and the restoration of salt marsh and upland riparian habitats.

Ecological Terrace Design
New York, NY
Great Eastern Ecology, Inc. is working with a private client to design and implement an ecological garden on the terrace of their 48th Street midtown office. The goal of the project is to evoke the ecology of the mixed beech-oak woodlands of Westchester County, while providing seating for impromptu meetings and lunch gatherings.

TOP | COMPANY | SERVICES