Meet Our Team: Austin Pearson
Austin Pearson serves as Vice President and Senior Staff Ecologist at Live Oak Associates.
Austin’s Expertise in the Field
Prior to joining Live Oak Associates in 2003, Austin obtained extensive experience performing surveys for sensitive fish, amphibian, and avian species such as California roach, hardhead, foothill and mountain yellow-legged frogs, Yosemite toad, California tiger salamander, spotted owl, great gray owl, goshawk and willow flycatcher. He also gained considerable experience in experimental design and implementation, as well as data analysis, while working with invertebrates in a laboratory setting.
In his time with Live Oak Associates, he has furthered his skills as a field biologist, designing, conducting, and managing numerous surveys for wildlife and/or their habitats. Austin has specialized experience with listed crustaceans (e.g., vernal pool fairy shrimp), Valley elderberry longhorn beetle, California tiger salamander, western pond turtle, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, western burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, San Joaquin kit fox, and various nesting birds and raptors.
Austin’s work at Live Oak Associates
Austin’s work is a vital part of what Live Oak Associates does. He works closely with other members of the leadership team to cultivate the company’s brand and workplace culture, develop strategies for marketing and growth, and establish company policy. He negotiates and manages contracts, facilitates staff development, and addresses human resource needs. He oversees all Oakhurst-based projects and proposals, providing technical guidance and quality control as needed to maintain Live Oak Associates’ high standard of care. At the same time, he manages his own project load, applying his biological consulting experience to a wide range of resource and regulatory scenarios.
Austin has in-depth experience with a wide range of California species and habitats. He holds a Section 10(a)(1)(A) Recovery Permit and CDFW Scientific Collecting Permit for vernal pool brachiopods. He has extensive experience in securing state and federal approvals and permits under the California and Federal Endangered Species Acts, Clean Water Act, and California Fish and Game Code, and in facilitating CEQA and NEPA compliance with respect to biological resource issues. Austin upholds Live Oak Associates’ favorable reputation with the regulatory agencies, maintaining strong working relationships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and local jurisdictions.
What Austin enjoys most about working at Live Oak Associates
He enjoys collaborating with staff as a team, while facilitating members to be successful in their projects. He appreciates the priority that is given at Live Oak Associates to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. He also enjoys the opportunities provided to address environmental constraints and find practical solutions that preserve our natural resources, while meeting our clients’ needs.
When not at work, you can still find Austin enjoying nature as he frequently goes fly fishing, mountain biking, snowboarding, and backpacking.
Live Oak Associates provides a comprehensive range of biological consulting services to organizations throughout California. Partner with us to discover how our team can help you with your next project.