Benjamin Gosney Email and Phone Number

Oversaw environmental compliance of debris and hazard tree removal for the Dixie Fire relief project in northern California. Performed biological assessment, surveys and monitoring in order to identify special status species, nesting birds and potential impact to federal and state waterways for CalRecycle, Cal OES and FEMA. Assisted in the training of onboarding biologists. Conducted relocation of wildlife within operation zones. Wrote daily reports documenting operational procedures compliance or non-compliance of state and federal environmental guidelines. Enforced state and federal Environmental Protection Plans (EPP) and Best Management Practice (BMPs).

Conducted experiments on the influence of genetic diversity within Eucalyptus tree species on their dependent arthropod and fungal communities using advanced quantitative and molecular genetic techniques. Responsible for every aspect of the experiments, including experimental design and implementation, data and sample collection, lab preparation, statistical analysis and results write-up for peer reviewed publication. Four peer reviewed papers have been published from the thesis (can be provided upon request). Awarded a monetary prize for ‘Outstanding Performance During Postgraduate Studies’.

Trained and supervised a crew of field biologists in collecting plant ecology data to evaluate potential military impacts on local flora and the effectiveness of management strategies (ie. prescribed fires, mowing and invasive species removal). Conducted point-intercept plant surveys, rare plant surveys, invasive species removal and grasslands management. Ensured correct identification of flora to species and undertook quality control and quality assurance of collected data. Performed wildlife telemetry, butterfly surveys and groundhog capture and removal. Maintained field equipment and vehicles, worked in challenging terrain and hazardous areas (areas of unexploded ordinance).

Performed flammability tests of Eucalytptus globulus foliage in a controlled lab environment. Ensured quality control and quality assurance of collected data. Underwent training for good laboratory practices (GLPs).

Collected data on inflorescence, height, dominance, crown-cover and browsing impact of 14 rare plant species to understand the limiting factors involved in their rarity. Created and used GIS Maps using ArcGIS to navigate to sites in often difficult terrain in remote locations, including dense rainforests, and sharp lava beds during inclement weather. Conducted preliminary data analysis to determine initial trends and maintained field equipment and vehicles.

Collected and managed data to understand the effects of deer browsing on forest regeneration and the population dynamics of fishery species in the Ashokan Reservoir tributaries. Data collection for the forestry internship included tree species identification, health, height, DBH and browsing impact. Data collection for the fisheries department included fish species identification, abundance, size measurements, local site statistics including stream clarity, velocity, air and water temperature, pH and streambed composition. Maintained field equipment and worked in challenging terrain during inclement weather.