Over 3000 buildings within the state of California have been destroyed because of the wildfires that have scorched the Golden State. Each year, more and more structures are damaged and razed due to fires. If you also include property damaged by water & earthquakes, California has a multi-billion dollar restoration industry demand.
In this article, we will be exploring the projects that critically need restoration staffing right now in California.
The Need For Restoration: Why California Seems To Be An Epicentre For Restoration Services
Unfortunately, it seems that California is continuing to be one of the major states in the US that experiences catastrophic damage yearly as a result of climate change. Rising temperatures have led to some of the worst fires and wildfires in the area. This inevitably has led to many buildings being damaged and wildlife habitats being destroyed.
Additionally, many of the waterways have experienced notable changes as a result of rising water levels. Many areas across the state are dealing with floods and damage to wetlands. As a result, restoration services are in huge demand and many AEC firms search for professionals to work on restoration projects every year.
While organizations such as the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) have strategies in place to execute climate efforts across the state, many AEC firms must also do their part. This means coordinating efforts to make sure that you have the necessary environmental specialists on board to carry out restoration services.
It is clear to see that emergency restoration projects will continue to be a large proportion of the environmental projects that are needed in the Golden State in the coming years. As a result, this will mean that many projects will be looking for the expertise of certified emergency managers and emergency resource managers.
Yet, which specialized restoration areas will be most in-demand? Let’s examine this below.
Restoration Services Needed In The Golden State
Restoration specialists are essentially the first-responders following significant damage to residential and commercial properties in the wake of floods, fires, earthquakes, water damage, and other major events.
These professionals are required to provide clean-up services for homes and businesses around the state. The most common restoration services that are needed in California on a yearly basis include but are not limited to:
- Fire damage restoration
- Water damage restoration
- Mold remediation
- Biohazard cleaning
- Storm damage repair services
- Habitat restoration planning
- Hazardous material removal
AEC professionals working within any of these areas will find numerous opportunities for career growth in many Californian regions. Due to the nature of these services, many restoration projects involve the recovery and maintenance of various ecosystems and habitats across California state.
If you are a professional looking to gain further restoration experience, the Golden State holds many opportunities for you.
California Restoration Projects: What Opportunities Are Available To AEC Professionals?
As we mentioned above, there is yearly demand for AEC professionals that operate within the environmental restoration industry. Below are a handful of the restoration projects that are operating within California across various niches.
Fire Clean-Up & Debris Removal
Fire clean-up and debris removal is a vital restoration service that many residential homeowners and commercial property owners avail of each year. For this kind of restoration project, licensed professionals are called in to safely remove any debris or hazardous waste that is left from a fire or wildfire.
This restoration service is carried out under guidelines set out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and CalEPA. One fire clean-up restoration project which has recently been completed is the Creek Fire project based in Fresno County.
This restoration project began in the wake of a large wildfire that started near Shaver Lake in early September 2020. This wildfire burned more than 379,895 acres in total and was the fifth-largest wildfire in the history of the state. Environmental restoration services begin in mid-December, 2020 once the wildfire has been contained.
Ecosystem Restoration Projects
Ecosystem restoration services involve the revival of degraded or damaged ecosystems as a result of wildfires, chemical spills, and many other major events. Typically, professionals within this industry would be carrying out services such as plant reintroduction, removal of invasive species, and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems.
The CALFED Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP) is an ongoing restoration project that is aiming to improve the aquatic and terrestrial habitats of the Bay-Delta region. Many of the projects under the ERP focus on ecological processes, water quality, habitat restoration, and fish passage issues.
Fisheries Restoration Projects
In recent years, the fish habitat in California has been declining especially in relation to the state’s wild salmon and steelhead trout populations. As a result, many fisheries restoration projects have been set up throughout the Golden State. These projects include the restoration and conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
One of the most well-known fisheries restoration projects in California is the Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP) established by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. So far this program has set up restoration projects focused on sediment reduction and watershed education.
Wetland Restoration Projects
Wetland restoration projects are vital to the conservation of many animals and plants across the state of California. Wetland areas do not only provide an ecosystem for different species of birds and plants, but they are also necessary for flood protection and water quality improvement.
As water levels continue to rise, wetland restoration services will be in high demand across the Golden State. The Clean and Healthy Bay ballot is currently funding various wetland restoration projects across San Francisco Bay and has already acquired over 30,000 acres of wetland that are being prepared for restoration.
How To Get Involved In Emergency Restoration Projects In California?
Whether your interest lies in habitat conservation or fire clean-up, one of the best ways of getting access to opportunities in the restoration industry is by working with a dedicated AEC staffing firm such as Certis Solutions.
By working with a staffing agency that has partnerships with many prominent firms in the AEC industry, you can be ensured that you’ll gain access to a robust database of jobs in the environmental services space. Our Certis project coordinators will work alongside you to help you access job opportunities for numerous desirable projects with dynamic companies.
For more information about the restoration projects that are available in our job database or to sign up and become a Certis AEC professional, get in touch with us today.
