The Davey Tree Expert Co., located in Kent, Ohio, acquired Wetland Studies and Solutions, a natural and cultural resources consulting company that partners with private sector builders and public works agencies to gain local, state and federal approvals relating to wetlands, streams, forests and cultural resources.
Wetland Studies’ experts include scientists, regulatory specialists, engineers, permit compliance specialists, archeologists, ecosystem managers, geographic information specialists and surveyors. The company is headquartered in Virginia’s first gold-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) facility.
Mike Rolband, founder and president of Wetland Studies, will continue to head operations for the now subsidiary within the Davey Resource Group, Davey’s natural resource and utility consulting division.
“With the addition of Wetland Studies, we have an opportunity to expand our natural resource consulting service operations by growing our presence in the mid-Atlantic region and offering additional services to our clients throughout North America,” said Brent Repenning, VP and general manager of Davey Resource Group.
Rolband added he sees clients and employees benefitting from the acquisition: “Our clients have asked us to expand our geographic reach to serve their needs, and now we will be able to respond with additional geographic, operational and research strength, while continuing the same high quality work and customer service to which they’ve grown accustomed. Our entire team is staying in place and is now bolstered by the strength, expertise and depth of the Davey organization.”
Noting Davey is one of the largest employee-owned companies in the United States, Rolband cited the opportunity to participate in employee ownership at Davey as an important asset. “Employee ownership, coupled with the Davey commitment to employee training, as well as research and development, dovetails perfectly with our culture represented by our own training facility and R&D work with many Virginia universities,” he said.
Wetland Studies’ LEED gold building will become the mid-Atlantic regional headquarters for Davey Resource Group. Constructed in 2005, the property also incorporates a low impact development stormwater management system that exceeds the new Virginia stormwater regulations just going into effect this July, reducing stormwater pollution to levels comparable to a forest.
The property features a green roof, cisterns, four types of pervious pavements, solar hot water, a vegetable garden, a composter and a 122,750 KWH solar photovoltaic system—the largest in Virginia when it was installed in 2010. Repenning said the building is physical proof of Wetland Studies’ commitment to sustainable green initiatives, which resonates with Davey’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
“Wetland Studies is a welcome addition to The Davey Co.,” Repenning said. “We are truly excited about the possibilities that can be realized by combining our organizations.”
