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Natural Resources & PermittingBalancing the Built
and Natural Environments.

At MacKay, our natural resources and permitting team helps balance the needs of the built and natural environments. Our scientists identify and map wetlands, streams, wildlife, plants, and fish that may be affected by a project. Working alongside our engineers, they develop strategies to avoid and minimize impacts and guide permitting and mitigation when needed, helping projects advance while protecting ecosystems.

 Metal riverside viewing platform with railings extends over a calm, tree-lined river, with mossy boulders in the foreground and forest reflections on the water.

We aim to balance the need for development while maintaining crucial natural resource functions that support communities. Our team carries a deep responsibility to both ecosystems and the communities we serve. We balance communities’ growth with maintaining habitat, water quality, and flood control functions on the landscape. To achieve this balance, we build strong relationships with engineers, clients, and regulatory staff—founded on trust and shared values—to ensure every project champions both people and the environment.

MacKay team member in a high-visibility vest holds a tablet while standing in a narrow grassy corridor surrounded by dense forest, with a yellow marker post at left under a cloudy sky.

We aim to balance the need for development while maintaining crucial natural resource functions that support communities. Our team carries a deep responsibility to both ecosystems and the communities we serve. We balance communities’ growth with maintaining habitat, water quality, and flood control functions on the landscape. To achieve this balance, we build strong relationships with engineers, clients, and regulatory staff—founded on trust and shared values—to ensure every project champions both people and the environment.

MacKay team member in a high-visibility vest holds a tablet while standing in a narrow grassy corridor surrounded by dense forest, with a yellow marker post at left under a cloudy sky.

Our Natural Resources & Permitting Services

  • Insights & Analytics

    • Wetland, Waters, & Critical Area Delineations and Assessments
    • Wildlife, Fisheries, Rare Plant, & Habitat Surveys
    • GIS-Based Natural Resource Mapping & Environmental Constraints Analysis

  • Planning & Design

    • Impact Avoidance & Minimization Strategies
    • Wetland, Stream, & Habitat Mitigation & Restoration Planning
    • Mitigation Feasibility Studies & Natural Resource Management Planning

  • Compliance & Permitting

    • NEPA Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, & Categorical Exclusions
    • Endangered Species Act Consultation & Biological Assessments
    • Federal, State, & Local Wetland, Waterway, Shoreline, & Critical Area Permitting

  • Project Delivery

    • Construction Environmental Compliance & Water Quality Monitoring
    • Mitigation, Restoration, & Habitat Performance Monitoring
    • Regulatory Coordination, Reporting, & Permit Condition Compliance

Natural Resources & Permitting in Practice: Learn More About Our Markets

Utility workers in safety vests plant a pink flag in a field while another worker stands nearby
Smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a black blazer and green top

Cristina McKernan

Natural Resources & Permitting Manager

“I am incredibly proud to be leading this team. They are highly collaborative and bring a rare depth of knowledge that only comes from decades of real-world experience leading complex ESA consultations and wetland assessments for over a decade. Their dedication to the science, each other, and our clients really sets them a notch above everyone else.”

Featured Natural Resources & Permitting Projects

View More Natural Resources Permitting Projects

Riparia Environmental

A subsidiary of MacKay, Riparia Environmental offers construction-based natural resource services for residential, commercial, public works, and retail development. After the environmental science and permitting team obtains required permits for a project, the Riparia team employs erosion and sediment control measures to protect water quality during construction. After construction, the Riparia team plants, monitors, and maintains all restoration and mitigation to ensure the balance of the built and natural environment is complete.

Visit Riparia Environmental

Riparia Environmental

A subsidiary of MacKay, Riparia Environmental offers construction-based natural resource services for residential, commercial, public works, and retail development. After the environmental science and permitting team obtains required permits for a project, the Riparia team employs erosion and sediment control measures to protect water quality during construction. After construction, the Riparia team plants, monitors, and maintains all restoration and mitigation to ensure the balance of the built and natural environment is complete.

Visit Riparia Environmental