Verna Jigour, PhD – Resume
Summary
Three decades of environmental planning, analytical and design experience emphasizing natural resources. Effectively works cross-functionally with public agencies, private and nonprofit organizations, helping them respond to demand for natural resource management, watershed and habitat restoration by providing master plans, site plans, planting plans and specifications; as well as helping them meet local, state and federal land use regulations by providing biological, oak woodlands and riparian zone assessments, along with wetland and stream bank restoration plans.
Woodland conservation and restoration consultations (former ISA Certified Arborist #WE-4212A, for over two decades, with tree risk training) providing tree inventory, mapping, potential impact assessment and mitigation measures.
Rainfall to Groundwater is the current focus, aiming to support water security through an ecohydrological approach. Mission: “Serve all who depend on water by hastening understanding, planning and collaborative action to restore degraded watershed detention functions”
Experience includes:
- Watershed & Habitat Restoration Plans
- Regional Conservation Planning
- Biological Assessments & Mapping
- Oak Woodlands Assessments & Mapping
- Riparian Zone Assessments & Mapping
- Wetland & Stream Bank Restoration Plans
- Stormwater Treatment Wetlands & Bioswales
- Mitigation Measures & Project Permitting
- Master Planning & Site Planning
Education
PhD: Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences: Conservation Ecology, Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH
- Watershed Restoration for Baseflow Augmentation, dissertation
Master of Landscape Architecture, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- Completed both the ecosystematic Planning and Design tracks.
B.S. Botany, University of California, Davis, College of Letters and Science
Academic Awards
• Dean’s Award in Landscape Architecture, College of Environmental Design, Cal Poly
• Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Cal Poly Landscape Architecture Department
• Graduate Presidential Fellowship Achievement Award, Cal Poly
• American Society of Landscape Architects: Certificate of Merit for Student Work
• Sigma Lambda Alpha, Honor Society of Landscape Architecture; Student Chapter President
Professional History
Principal, V•Jigour LLC, Coulterville, CA December 2017
Focused on Rainfall to Groundwater (mission above) offering a new, holistic approach to natural groundwater recharge in the context of California’s 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Two pertinent books currently in development. Ongoing consulting, as summarized below.
Principal Consultant, Verna Jigour Associates, Santa Clara, Carmel, Coulterville, CA 1992-2017
Natural resource inventory, analyses and planning; watershed, habitat, wetland and stream bank restoration plans, specifications; biological, oak woodlands and riparian zone assessments, including mapping and mitigation measures per federal, state and local regulations; project permitting; botanical surveys and mapping; project planning; master plans; site plans; arboricultural consultations; endangered species conservation plans; wetland delineations; native landscape design; project scheduling, budgeting; and supervising subconsultants
Instructor: Ecological Restoration, UC Santa Cruz Extension, Santa Clara 1994-1997
Developed and taught a ten-week course in ecological restoration for continuing education students–developed course materials and supervised co-instructors
Project Planner, Vail Speck Associates, Irvine, CA 1990-1992
Project planning; biological elements of master plans; natural resource management plans; biological impact analyses, including preparation of EIR/EISs and alternatives analyses; ecological restoration plans and designs; rare plant surveys and mapping; and supervising subconsultants