Veteran-Owned · Mojave Desert · Biological Consulting · California

Field Biology.
Desert Expertise. Mojavia Ops LLC

Protocol-level surveys, construction monitoring, and compliance support for the Mojave's most sensitive species — from desert tortoise to rare plants.

Start a project Our services
USFWS
Authorized handler
100+
Survey projects
CA · NV
Operating region
Mojave desert tortoise Gopherus agassizii
Gopherus agassizii · Mojave Desert Tortoise
Desert tortoise close-up
Mojave desert tortoise in habitat
Credentials
Veteran-Owned
USFWS Authorized Handler
CDFW Permitted
Section 7 / ESA
SWPPP QSP
WBE
Download SOQ
Mojave desert tortoise in natural habitat
Gopherus agassizii · Federally Threatened
Flagship expertise
Desert Tortoise Specialists

The Mojave desert tortoise is a federally threatened species central to nearly every major construction project in the region. Proper handling, survey methodology, and regulatory compliance require a USFWS authorized biologist — not a generalist.

Mojavia Ops holds USFWS authorization for desert tortoise handling and conducts all surveys under current protocol — from clearance and translocation to health assessments and worker environmental awareness training.

Clearance surveys Translocation & relocation Health assessments TEF inspection WEAT programs Telemetry monitoring
What we do
Services

Protocol-compliant biological services for energy, infrastructure, and development projects across the Mojave and adjacent regions.

01
Desert tortoise surveys
USFWS protocol clearance, presence/absence, and health assessments by an authorized handler.
  • Pre-construction clearance
  • Translocation & relocation
  • Exclusionary fence inspection
  • Worker awareness training (WEAT)
02
Biological monitoring
On-site monitoring during active construction to ensure compliance with permit conditions.
  • Grading & ground disturbance
  • Linear infrastructure projects
  • Renewable energy construction
  • Daily & weekly field reports
03
Sensitive species surveys
Protocol surveys for state and federally listed species across Mojave Desert habitats.
  • Burrowing owl (CDFW protocol)
  • Mojave ground squirrel
  • Blunt-nosed leopard lizard
  • Avian breeding & raptor surveys
04
Botanical & vegetation
Seasonally timed rare plant surveys and vegetation community mapping for CEQA documentation.
  • Rare plant protocol surveys
  • Vegetation community mapping
  • Noxious weed inventory
  • Biological resources reports
05
Reporting & compliance
Accurate, timely field reports and biological documents prepared to meet agency standards.
  • Biological resources reports
  • Agency coordination
  • Section 7 ESA support
  • CEQA / NEPA documentation
06
Wetlands & waters
Delineation and surveys to USACE specifications under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
  • Waters of the US delineation
  • Pre-construction surveys
  • SWPPP / QSP services
  • Stormwater compliance
Field work
Selected projects

Representative survey, monitoring, and compliance work across the Mojave and adjacent regions.

Desert Tortoise · Pre-Construction
Desert tortoise clearance — utility-scale solar
Renewable energy developer
Protocol-level USFWS clearance surveys and translocation monitoring for a 200+ acre solar development in the western Mojave.
Kern County, CA
2023
Biological Monitoring
Construction monitoring — transmission corridor
Utility infrastructure
On-site biological monitor during active grading along a 15-mile transmission corridor through sensitive Mojave habitat.
San Bernardino County, CA
2023–24
Species Survey
Burrowing owl protocol surveys — residential development
Private developer
CDFW-protocol burrowing owl surveys and impact avoidance planning in the High Desert.
Victorville, CA
2024
Botanical
Rare plant surveys & vegetation mapping — CEQA
Environmental consulting firm
Seasonally timed rare plant surveys and vegetation classification across Mojave scrub for CEQA documentation.
Mojave, CA
2024
Compliance · Ongoing
Compliance monitoring — pipeline O&M
Gas transmission company
Recurring biological compliance monitoring under USFWS take authorization for operations and maintenance.
Mojave Desert, CA
Ongoing
Reporting
Biological resources report — linear pipeline
Environmental consulting firm
Full BRR for CEQA including habitat assessment, species list, impact analysis, and mitigation measures.
Riverside County, CA
2023
About
Field science rooted in the desert

Mojavia Ops is a veteran-owned biological consulting firm providing authorized biological oversight, field staffing, and regulatory compliance support for utility, pipeline, renewable energy, and infrastructure projects across California and the Mojave Desert. We bring hands-on experience supporting projects involving desert tortoise, nesting birds, and sensitive species compliance — working alongside environmental consulting firms, utility clients, and contractors across the Mojave Desert delivering rigorous field methodology and clean, timely documentation.

Led by founders Jonathan Casillas and Chris Scanlon, Mojavia Ops was built on years of hands-on field experience across the Mojave Basin and its transition zones — from Kern and San Bernardino counties through the Nevada border.

Veteran-Owned Wildlife biology Mojave Desert specialist USFWS authorized CDFW permitted Clean safety record WBE
100+
Survey projects
50+
Species documented
CA · NV
Primary operating region — Mojave Desert
"Scientific integrity, clean documentation, and collaborative field work — every project, every time."
— Jonathan Casillas, Co-Founder · Mojavia Ops LLC
Learn center
Resources & references

Key references for clients, contractors, and anyone working in the Mojave ecosystem.

Desert Tortoise Council
Survey protocols & conservation
USFWS — Mojave Desert Tortoise
Species profile & regulations
CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
CESA species & permitting
Mojave Desert Plant List
Native & sensitive species
Mojave Endangered Species
Regional wildlife reference
Section 404 — Clean Water Act
Wetlands permitting guide
Contact
Let's discuss your project

Reach out with project details and I'll respond within one business day. I work with environmental consultants, developers, agencies, and contractors across the Mojave region.

jonathan@mojaviaops.com
415-755-0224
Apple Valley, CA
USFWS Authorized · CDFW Permitted