Aaron Arthur
Plant Biologist
Overview
Aaron Arthur has more than 10 years performing vegetation & habitat mapping, rare plant surveys, botanical assessments, vegetation change analysis, and wetland delineations. His project focus is in timber resources, habitat mitigation and monitoring plans, conservation and mitigation banking, long-term management plans, and coastal development permits (CDP). Aaron regularly coordinates and implements vegetation mapping, protocol-level rare plant surveys, biological resource assessments, wetland delineations, and management plans with specialization in the flora of Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties.
Aaron’s technical training includes the flora of Northern California, the flora of the Pacific Northwest, agrostology, aquatic botany, plant ecology, forest ecology, and soil science. Additionally, he has attended the 40-hour U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Course. Aaron received his Bachelor of Arts in Geography from UC Berkeley, where he studied the biogeography and historical ecology of California and Mexico. Aaron received his Master of Science in Physical Geography from Oregon State University, where he focused his research on vegetation change in mixed Douglas fir forests of southwest Oregon.
Currently, Aaron is tasked with providing technical guidance for an array of projects requiring botanical, vegetation, and wetland expertise. Prior to his seven years at WRA, Aaron conducted vegetation surveys and analysis for the U.S. Forest Service, forest mollusk and Northern Spotted Owl surveys for the Bureau of Land Management, and protocol-level rare plant surveys for private timber companies.
Aaron is a recognized expert in the flora and vegetation of the North Bay and is a member of the Local Ecology and Botany Advisory Group for the Sonoma County Vegetation Mapping and LiDAR Program lead by the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. Additionally, Aaron regularly illustrates and photographs common and rare plants throughout California with a focus in Bay Area, North Coast, and Central Valley habitats, and his photographs regularly appear in presentations, brochures, interpretive signs, and publications.
Publications
California Native Plant Society
Projects
Taylor Mountain Regional Park Rare Plant Surveys and Vegetation Mapping, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County California
Tolay Lake Regional Park Biological Resources Assessment & Resource Management Plan,Petaluma, Sonoma County, California
Marin Municipal Water District Bullfrog Quarry Revegetation Plan, Marin County, California
CAMSPAC Coast Guard Station Rare Plant Survey,Point Reyes, Marin County, California
North Bay Conservation and Mitigation Bank Rare Plant Surveys, Biological Resources Inventory, Wetland Delineation and Verification,Unincorporated Marin County, California
Fort Bragg Coast Trail Rare Plant Surveys, Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California
Glass Beach Trail Rare Plant Reconnaissance Surveys, Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California
Sears Point Restoration Rare Plant Surveys and Vegetation Mapping, Sonoma County, California
Santa Rosa Plain Rare Plant Surveys, Sonoma County, California
Undisclosed Refinery Rare Plant Surveys and Biological Resources Assessment, Contra Costa County, California
Antonio Mountain Ranch Conservation and Mitigation Bank (Proposed) Rare Plant Surveys, Biological Resources Assessment, Wetland Delineation and Verification,Roseville, Placer County, California
University of Maryland Carbon Biomass Study,Sonoma County, California
Preservation Ranch Rare Plant Surveys, Annapolis, Sonoma County, California
Former Concord Naval Weapons Station Rare Plant Surveys and Vegetation Community Mapping,Concord, Contra Costa County, California
Amorco Terminal Vegetation Monitoring and Plant Community Mapping, Martinez, Contra Costa County, California
Lucky Day Conservation Bank Rare Plant Surveys, Rare Plant Census, Wetland Delineation and Verification, Gilroy, Santa Clara County, California
Soquel Canyon Mitigation Bank Rare Plant Surveys and Vegetation Mapping, Chino Hills, San Bernardino County
Newark Slough Wetland Delineation, Newark, Alameda County, California
East Bay Municipal Utilities District Mokelumne Aqueduct Wetland Delineation, San Joaquin and Eastern Contra Costa Counties, California
The Ranch on Silver Creek Vegetation Monitoring and Bay Checkerspot Butterfly Monitoring, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California
Callippe Preserve Callippe Silverspot Host Plant Surveys, Pleasanton, Alameda County, California
Spirit Rock Northern Spotted Owl Surveys,Woodacre, Marin County, California
Education
BA, Geography, University of California Berkeley
MS, Geography, Oregon State University
Other
California Native Plant Society
California Native Grasslands Association
California Botanical Society
Association of American Geographers
Society of Wetland Scientists
40-Hour Wetland Delineation Training
CRAM Vernal Pool Module
Poaceae (Grass) Workshop
Juncaceae (Rush) Workshop
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
