Recently, Third Rock was retained to assist with invasive species management on a stream and wetland mitigation site in Central Kentucky. The restoration efforts included herbicide application, invasive vegetation removal, seed bed preparation, native seed planting, and erosion blanket installation.
Third Rock ecologist Chelsey Olson spotted this beauty at the Raven Run Nature Sanctuary in Lexington, Kentucky this weekend. It's a velvet ant, a species of solitary wasp. They can deliver a very painful sting but aren't aggressive. So, if you happen to spot one, admire its beauty, snap some photos, but let it continue on its way.
Recently, ecologists Rain Storm and Kenton Hall (pictured above), planted native wetland plants in a recently restored stormwater basin in Lexington, Kentucky.
We have a diverse group of people working for us at Third Rock Consultants. Ecologist Chelsey Olson recently captured this image of Senior Ecologist Bert Remley conducting a fish survey in a Kentucky stream.
Did you know that Third Rock's Chelsey Olson is an FAA certified drone pilot? He's passed the Unmanned Aircraft General-Small exam and has obtained a remote pilot certificate under FAA Part 107, enabling him to legally fly for business purposes. In addition to drone services, Chelsey is a federally-permitted biologist and a professional photographer, making him a valued member of the Third Rock team.
Third Rock ecologists have extensive experience conducting fish surveys across Kentucky and the Southeast. Depending on the size of the stream, fish are sampled using a variety of electrofishing and seining methods. Above is an image from our recent survey near Louisville, Kentucky.
Third Rock Environmental Engineer Jared Looney (pictured above) recently completed the Fundamentals of Traffic Noise and Traffic Noise Modeling with FHWA TNM 2.5 Training Course. The newest member of Third Rock's team of engineers, Jared has been with us for about a year now. Thank you for all of your hard work Jared!
Third Rock ecologist James Storm caught this female gray bat in Tennessee last summer. Gray bats are an endangered species, so a band is placed on their wing prior to release. Females are banded on the left wing, while males are banded on the right wing.
Electrofishing is a tool utilized by Third Rock ecologists to evaluate the fish community of a particular body of water. Representative pictures of each species are taken and fish are released unharmed. Pictured above are ecologist Bert Remley and Kenton Hall conducting a fish survey in one of the streams near Louisville, Kentucky.
