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Fauna Surveys
Fauna monitoring and/or rescue programs are a standard requirement on projects which interfere with natural habitats. Several major fauna surveys have been conducted by JGP as an integral part of Environmental Impact Assessments on highway, hydroelectric power, transmission line and urban development projects.
Typically, these surveys will involve multiple campaigns to cover seasonal variations. Rescue of fauna during forest clearing and/or reservoir flooding activities has been a survey team responsibility in many cases.
 Monitoring of fauna during the complete project construction cycle is a frequent requirement. On projects that bring human activity into proximity with relatively preserved areas (new highways, resorts, other), continuous monitoring of fauna after completion of construction is also often required.
JGP has accumulated significant fauna survey experience and is currently responsible for several ongoing fauna monitoring programs, some of which with over 8 years of cumulative data. This provides unique research opportunities and JGP’s team of biologists frequently publish technical papers on the results of monitoring.
Natural Habitat Biodiversity Surveys
Biodiversity surveys in natural habitats are included in the standard scope of Environmental Impact Assessments and constitute a major challenge given the extraordinary diversity of Brazilian natural forests.
 Ecologists, botanists and forestry engineers will usually be involved and surveys will involve extensive fieldwork for sampling and inventory of forest patches, as well as use of high resolution satellite imagery and GIS capabilities for mapping and interpretation.
Further to baseline surveys as part of the impact assessment process, permitting requirements usually include continuous monitoring of biodiversity within natural forests throughout construction and beyond.
 This monitoring is based on repetitive sampling and inventories in order to verify indirect impacts on partially cleared forests as a result of habitat fragmentation, wind and sun exposure or other phenomena.
JGP’s experience with biodiversity surveys is as diversified as the firm’s impact assessment portfolio and includes major projects in all Brazilian forest ecosystems, particularly the Atlantic Rainforest, the Amazon Forest and the Cerrado. As a side effect of this work, JGP has contributed to significant enrichment of the botanical collections of several academic institutions throughout Brazil.
Water Quality Monitoring Programs
Water quality monitoring programs have been executed by JGP on a large variety of projects. Baseline water quality surveys are a standard aspect of impact assessments.
Monitoring of key water quality indicators during construction is an effective means of verifying the efficacy of Construction Environmental Management and JGP has successfully used this tool on several highway projects and others involving significant earth movement.
On hydroelectric projects, water monitoring includes plancton, algae and other aquatic communities, and has in some cases been used to develop reservoir eutrophication models.
On industrial projects, monitoring of treated effluents and water quality of the receiving body are a standard requirement.
Community Noise Monitoring Programs
 Community noise is a major environmental issue on some types of project, particularly highways and other transportation projects, as well as industrial plants.
Baseline community noise surveys and continuous noise monitoring during operation of highways and industrial plants has been executed by JGP on several major projects. Community noise modeling and noise barrier engineering are complementary services generally associated to monitoring programs.
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