Qualified professional biologists, botanists, herpetologists, or other professional “life scientists” that are employed to conduct field surveys shall meet the following criteria to qualify to perform work within the County jurisdiction:
(a) Education. Individuals must possess a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in biology, ecology, wildlife biology, herpetology, zoology, or related fields.
(b) Professional Experience.
(1) Have demonstrated prior field experience using accepted resource agency techniques in survey methods, i.e., conducting field surveys for at least three years.
(2) Have taxonomic experience and knowledge of the species of concern in the project locale, i.e., knowledge of plant taxonomy and plant community ecology and classification as well as having familiarity with the plants of the area, including special status and locally important plants.
(3) Have familiarity with State and Federal laws and agency policies and regulation, which pertain to environmental quality, i.e., having familiarity with the appropriate State and Federal statutes related to plants and plant collecting.
(4) Have a demonstrated ability to prepare detailed technical reports, i.e., experience with analyzing impacts of a project on native plants and communities.
(5) Have familiarity with the endemic flora and fauna of Southern California.
(c) Permits. Individuals with relevant State or Federal wildlife agency permits issued by the California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have demonstrated expertise in the identification and handling of specific species and their habitats. Current permits shall be included with the application to be considered a qualifying biologist within a permitted biological or natural resource discipline.
(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007)