Cali Consulting Service, Inc. was founded in 2004 by Tish Espinosa. Ms. Espinosa works with farmers and ranchers on environmental compliance. She conducts wetland delineations, environmental analyses, habitat assessments, and general biotic inventories. Ms. Espinosa conducts focused surveys for sensitive species and habitats such as burrowing owls, Swainson’s hawk, valley elderberry longhorn beetle, vernal pool invertebrate (i.e., fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp), California Tiger Salamander, and other sensitive amphibians in the region. She has 18 plus years of experience providing guidance to farmers and ranchers throughout the Great Valley and Foothill regions of California on crop conversions and environmental compliance. Ms. Espinosa has assisted numerous clients through the grueling process of environmental compliance and alleged violations. It is Ms. Espinosa’s agricultural expertise, vast knowledge of environmental rules and regulations, and hands-on-field experience that makes her an asset to the farming and ranching community.
Tish Espinosa attended California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She received a M.S. in Agricultural Science with an emphasis in Agronomy in 1994 and a B.S. in Animal Production with a minor in Agronomy in 1991. Ms. Espinosa also assisted in the establishment of Cal Poly Pomona becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution. While in college Ms. Espinosa worked as a veterinary technician in a small animal hospital and then on the Cal Poly Pomona Farm. While working at the school farm, Ms. Espinosa was responsible for all cultural practices pertaining to the vegetable crop production, irrigated livestock pastures, hay and grain production, and the herb garden at the School of Culinary Arts on campus. She operated various equipment to prepare the fields prior to planting (seeding or transplanting) and irrigated, fertilized, maintained weeds, and harvested the final crop. Prior to graduating from Cal Poly Pomona, Ms. Espinosa was employed by the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) to assist with recruitment and retention not only for Cal Poly Pomona, but also for the various USDA divisions.
After graduating with her Masters of Science, Ms. Espinosa was retained as a Field Agronomist for the USDA/NRCS in the Fresno County Field Office and then the San Joaquin County Field Office. As a Field Agronomist for USDA/NRCS she provided technical assistance, support, and funding opportunities to farmers and ranchers pursuant to all Farm Bill Programs. While working for the USDA/NRCS, Ms. Espinosa first started conducting wetland delineations for agricultural lands throughout the Great Valley (Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley). She conducted wetland delineations on properties, as well as reviewed and certified wetland delineations conducted on agricultural lands prepared by private / independent consultants. Ms. Espinosa has written and implemented numerous erosion control plans, farm or ranch plans, habitat restoration plans, planting plans, grazing plans, nutrient management, and waste management plans, etc. for agricultural lands in the Central Valley.
While employed by the USDA/NRCS, Ms. Espinosa was transferred to the Lockeford Plant Material Center (PMC) where she held a state-wide position as Plant Resource Specialist. Ms. Espinosa also had a co-lateral assignment as acting State Agronomist for 16 months after the state agronomist retired. As Plant Resource Specialist she provided technical assistance to landowners throughout California, southern Oregon, western Nevada, and western Arizona on plant related subjects such as revegetation and restoration, erosion control, and selection of appropriate seed mixes for insectary plantings, cover crops, pasture mixes, etc. Ms. Espinosa has immense experience assessing habitats, developing restoration plans, implementing plans, and evaluating the outcomes. She has designed and coordinated numerous plantings within the Great Valley and Foothill regions to achieve restoration requirements. Ms. Espinosa has extensive experience working with the various local, state, and federal agencies while carrying out various projects on agricultural or private lands.
In 2003 Ms. Espinosa left the U.S. Government and went to work in the private sector. While working for Moore Biological Consultants she carried out duties such as general biotic / floristic surveys or inventories, focused surveys for sensitive species such as Swainson’s hawk, burrowing owl, and vernal pool invertebrates (i.e., fairy shrimp). She expanded her experience in evaluating potential impacts to biological resources under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidelines and is extremely knowledgeable of Clean Water Act and State and Federal Endangered Species Act issues. Ms. Espinosa participated in environmental studies associated with the inventory and management of wildlife, plant, and wetland resources and has conducted threatened and endangered species surveys at numerous sites in the Central Valley and Foothill areas. She has carried out endangered species construction monitoring, environmental / endangered species compliance guidance, habitat restoration, botanical resources surveys, biological surveys and wildlife inventories. Ms. Espinosa has assisted with processing wetland permit applications, after-the-fact violation applications, conducted pre-construction surveys, construction monitoring (the primary focus of this activity is for compliance with endangered species laws), and has participated in several burrowing owl relocations.
Tish Espinosa has had formal training in wetland delineations and is included on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers list of Wetland Consultants. She has conducted hundreds of wetland delineations mostly throughout the Central Valley and Foothill areas for agricultural crop conversions and development projects.
Cali Consulting Service, Inc. 