Project-review notes · Part of survey planning
Oak Hollow Lots
- Prepared for
- Example Homes LLC (fictional)
- Property
- 38 acres, Example County, Texas
- Planned work
- Clear 12 acres for 6 home sites and a road
- Prepared by
- Elizabeth Hingle, wildlife biologist
01 / Project summary
Example Homes plans to clear about 12 acres for six home sites and a gravel road. The layout places two lots and part of the road inside the wooded west side. Clearing is planned for February.
02 / Maps
Schematic for this sample. A real memo includes a county location map, a dated aerial image with your boundary, and a woodland map, as PDFs you can print or send to your builder.
03 / Habitat evaluation
| Feature | West side (about 9 ac) | East side (about 29 ac) |
|---|---|---|
| Woodland type | Mature Ashe juniper mixed with live oak and Texas oak | Improved pasture with scattered young juniper |
| Canopy | Closed canopy visible on aerial imagery, estimated over 50% | Open; isolated trees |
| Connection | Continuous with a woodland block of roughly 200 acres to the west | None |
| Could be warbler habitat? | Yes, potentially. Needs a site visit to confirm. | Not likely |
04 / Species records
- Texas Parks and Wildlife natural diversity records: checked for rare-species records on and near the property.
- USFWS project planning tool (IPaC): lists the Golden-cheeked Warbler for this location.
- Known warbler records: reviewed for the surrounding area.
A real memo reports what each source shows for your property. Rare-species locations are summarized, not published, to follow agency data-sharing rules.
05 / Local plans
Some Central Texas counties have a regional habitat conservation plan that can offer a simpler path when habitat is present. A real memo states whether your county has one and how it applies.
06 / Nesting birds
Clearing any trees or brush between March and August could affect nesting birds. Clearing in February avoids most of the nesting season. If work slips into spring, a nesting bird survey close to the clearing date is recommended.
07 / Next steps and timing
- Now: habitat assessment of the west side
A site visit to measure the woodland and document it. Report within 5 business days of the visit, submitted to USFWS.
- If the assessment confirms habitat: spring survey or redesign
Either a presence/absence survey between March 15 and June 1, or a lot layout that avoids the woodland.
- East side: go ahead
Pasture clearing can proceed. Keep a nesting bird survey in the plan if the work moves into spring.
Agency coordination with Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is included in this review.
08 / Limitations
These project-review notes are based on available aerial imagery and records, not a site visit. It doesn’t confirm whether warblers are present and isn’t an agency decision. Imagery dates and record coverage limit what it can show.
USFWS Golden-cheeked Warbler recovery permit ESPER32178096-0
Sample memo · fictional project