James Turek
Restoration Ecologist @Noaa National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
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WORK HISTORY
Restoration Ecologist @Noaa National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Narragansett, RI, US
My Restoration Center (RC) career focuses on migratory fish passage and river and wetlands restoration. I\'ve been involved in 102+ fish passage projects including 52 dam removals in New England and beyond. I work primarily in the New England region, particularly Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, and Long Island Sound and their watersheds through our NOAA Community-Based Restoration Program (CRP) and NOAA Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP). My experiences also include work in the Mid-Atlantic states and Michigan. My expertise includes diadromous fish biology and aquatic ecology including fish passage design; tidal and freshwater wetlands ecology particularly plant communities and faunal assemblages; and wetland, river and fish passage restoration planning, design, cost estimating, construction oversight and ecological performance monitoring. Through the DARRP program, I\'ve worked/working on 14 NRDA cases (4 CT, 2 MA, 1 ME, 1 MI, 2 NY, 4 RI), serve as a Trustee representative on cases and case teams, prepared or participated in the completion of Restoration Plans (RPs)/Environmental Assessments (NEPA EAs), and completed injury restoration scaling for restoration implementation. My position requires high proficiency with federal and state regulations and how they may affect permitting and timely implementation of restoration projects. I am skilled at, experienced in, and passionate about the restoration of rivers and their fish assemblages, and restoration of tidal and non-tidal wetlands. My technical experience includes working on all aspects of dam removals and a strong desire to develop solutions to the rapid loss of Atlantic coast salt marshes including potential strategic use of soil placement to increase marsh platform elevation, restore marsh plant and faunal community ecological services, and increase resiliency of our dwindling tidal marshes undergoing coastal squeeze and rapidly changing ecological conditions in the face of SLR.
EDUCATION
University of Maine
Bachelor of Science, Zoology/Geological Sciences
University of Rhode Island
Masters in Marine Affairs, Chesapeake Bay tidal wetlands and federal regulatory reform
ABOUT JAMES TUREK
I apply my knowledge, skills and more than 40 years of work experiences using ecological theory and engineering principles, assessment methods, and innovative design practices to restore tidal and non-tidal wetlands, streams and rivers, and to provide technical design support to result in efficient and effective migratory fish passage, and advancing ecological restoration science and implementation practices. I work diligently to help protect, conserve, and restore our natural resources; support environmental policy and program implementation to restore healthy and sustainable fisheries, their habitats and supporting ecological services; proactively develop and promote public education using science-based information to explain and simplify environmental issues and contribute to the sustainability and restoration of both vibrant economies and a high quality environment of our local communities; and to teach multi generations to explore our environs, recognize vital environmental programs and policies, better appreciate and value the environs in which we live, and to help protect and conserve these resources for future generations.
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