What Ecological Associates Inc. does

Ecological Associates, Inc. (EAI) is a Florida-based, multi-disciplinary environmental consulting firm founded in 1994 by biologists Bob Ernest and Erik Martin and headquartered in Jensen Beach. The company delivers professional scientific services across three categories: aquatic (freshwater stream assessments, benthic and plankton taxonomy, ichthyoplankton identification, submerged aquatic resource surveys, fish population studies, water quality monitoring); coastal (sea turtle monitoring and conservation, shorebird monitoring, sea turtle lighting evaluations, sediment analysis, habitat conservation planning); and terrestrial (environmental assessments, environmental resource permitting, protected species monitoring, gopher tortoise services, natural resource management). Field work is supported by an in-house Macroinvertebrate Taxonomy Laboratory, a custom electrofishing vessel, and a three-boat fleet; senior staff hold specialized certifications including Society for Freshwater Science EPT genus-level taxonomy and FWC Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent credentials.

EAI generates revenue through project-based professional service contracts, with pricing quoted per engagement rather than disclosed publicly. The customer base is split across local, county, state, and federal government agencies, plus private-sector clients including utility operators (Florida Power & Light), developers, and nonprofit/NGO partners (Florida Oceanographic Society, ORCA, Audubon of Martin County). Sales motion is relationship-led and reputation-driven, built over 30 years with Florida regulators and municipalities; the firm also pursues subcontract work with federal primes such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Following the unexpected death of CEO Stanley DeForest in 2021, ownership transitioned in September 2024 to long-time employees Niki Desjardin and Jimmy Sellers, who now serve as Co-Presidents. The firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity, and operates four Florida offices (Jensen Beach HQ, Titusville, Fort Myers) with service reach into Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and Connecticut through lab partnerships.

Name

Ecological Associates Inc.

Legal name

Ecological Associates, Inc.

Website

https://ecological-associates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ecological Associates, Inc. is a Florida-based environmental consulting firm founded in 1994 that delivers aquatic, coastal, and terrestrial ecological monitoring, permitting, and laboratory analysis to government agencies, utilities, and private developers across the southeastern United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

EIA/ESIA Documentation & Technical Studies (Air/Water/Noise/Traffic) (EUAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Phase II ESA & Subsurface Investigation (Soil/Groundwater Sampling) (EUAHAEAB), Compliance History & Enforcement/Permit File Reviews (Agency Record Searches) (EUAHAEAN)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Wildlife monitoring programs
• Habitat conservation planning
• Marine biology research
• Environmental permitting support

Headquarters

HQ city

Jensen Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consulting Services: Professional environmental consulting services including environmental assessments, permitting, species monitoring, and research. Services are provided to both public sector clients (local governments, state and federal agencies) and private sector clients (developers, businesses).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ecological Associates, Inc. (EAI) is a multi-disciplinary environmental consulting firm providing professional scientific services including field sampling, taxonomic laboratory analysis, protected species monitoring, environmental assessments, permitting support, and habitat conservation planning. Services span aquatic, coastal, and terrestrial environments and are delivered through on-site fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and direct consulting engagements to public and private sector clients primarily in Florida.

Product overview

Ecological Associates Inc. (EAI) is a multi-disciplinary environmental consulting firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional services organized into Aquatic, Coastal, and Terrestrial service categories. The company's core offerings include freshwater stream habitat assessment and macroinvertebrate taxonomy, power plant ecological studies, benthic macroinvertebrate and plankton taxonomy, submerged aquatic resource surveys and mapping, fish population surveys, and water quality monitoring. Coastal services encompass sea turtle monitoring and conservation programs, shorebird monitoring, sea turtle lighting evaluations, sediment analysis, and habitat conservation planning. Terrestrial services include environmental assessments, environmental resource permitting, protected species monitoring and management, gopher tortoise services, and natural resource management. EAI also operates public education programs including public nest excavations and nighttime turtle walks. The company does not offer a software product or digital platform; rather, it delivers professional scientific consulting, field monitoring, laboratory analysis, and permitting services primarily to public and private sector clients in Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freshwater Stream Habitat Assessment and Macroinvertebrate Taxonomy Stream mapping and biological assessments for environmental impact evaluations and stream restoration efforts, including Stream Condition Index (SCI) macroinvertebrate identification and index calculations for government and private clients.
• 316(a) and (b) Power Plant Studies Ecological studies and environmental impact assessments supporting site planning, permitting, and operating licenses for power plants, including Clean Water Act thermal variance studies and NPDES compliance monitoring for utility operators.
• Benthic Macroinvertebrate Taxonomy Laboratory analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate samples to assess impacts from dredging, beach nourishment, marina/dock construction, power plant operation, and utility corridor installation for regulatory and project clients.
• Ichthyoplankton and Meroplankton Taxonomy Identification and enumeration of ichthyoplankton and meroplankton collected from waterbodies for environmental impact assessments related to power plants, dredging, oil exploration, and subaqueous utility pipeline construction.
• Submerged Aquatic Resource Surveys and Mapping Monitoring and mapping of submerged aquatic vegetation (seagrasses and macroalgae), stony corals, octocorals, hydrocorals, oysters, hard-bottom communities, and sponges throughout Florida for permitting and restoration clients.
• Fish Surveys Assessment of freshwater, marine, and larval fish populations using electrofishing, seines, trawls, gillnets, traps, cast nets, and plankton nets, including gut-content analysis and age-and-growth studies for environmental impact and compliance projects.
• Water Quality Monitoring Water quality monitoring for state and federal compliance, stormwater improvement assessment, and biota distribution studies, with in-situ measurement of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, and laboratory testing through certified laboratories.
• Sea Turtle Monitoring and Conservation Programs Sea turtle biology and conservation programs including nesting surveys, nest marking, caging and relocation, net capture, tagging studies, lighting evaluations, and environmental impact assessments, authorized under FWC Marine Turtle Permits MTP #010, #160, #162, and #261.
• Shorebird Monitoring Breeding and non-breeding surveys for migratory shorebirds and seabirds including American oystercatcher, least tern, black skimmer, snowy plover, and Wilson's plover, with participation in Florida Shorebird Alliance partnerships.
• Sea Turtle Lighting Evaluations Beachfront lighting evaluations using sub-meter GPS technology fitted with cameras and laser rangefinders to precisely locate and photograph non-compliant light sources for local lighting ordinance compliance.
• Sediment/Grain Size Analysis Physical and chemical sediment analyses for dredging, beach nourishment, and coastal construction projects, including grain size distribution, moisture content, total organic carbon, and chemical analyses for priority pollutants.
• Habitat Conservation Planning Development of Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) in support of federal Incidental Take Permit (ITP) applications, including monitoring programs and administrative procedures for species recovery.
• Environmental Assessments Habitat assessments in wetland and upland environments including wetland delineation, plant community mapping, and surveys for state and federally protected species.
• Environmental Resource Permitting Comprehensive environmental permitting services navigating regulatory compliance for construction projects, facility expansions, and developments impacting the environment, including permit compliance and mitigation project planning and implementation.
• Protected Species Monitoring and Management Comprehensive protected species monitoring including caracara nesting surveys, bonneted bat roosting surveys, gopher tortoise permitting and relocation, burrowing owl surveys, scrub jay surveys, and nesting bird surveys.
• Gopher Tortoise Services Complete gopher tortoise project management by FWC Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agents including site surveys, permitting, bucket trapping, mechanical and hand excavation, burrow scoping, and on-site and off-site relocations.
• Natural Resource Management Resource management recommendations and management plans for public conservation lands using restoration and preservation techniques including prescribed fire and exotic vegetation control.

Quantifiable outcome

• EAI documented 13,920 loggerhead, 2,384 green turtle, and 528 leatherback nests during 2020 nesting season.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025Annual 'A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon' citizen science program. EAI scientists work with students from local schools as volunteer citizen scientists, conducting hands-on field techniques including seine netting, water quality measurements, and wildlife inventory.
• Florida Oceanographic SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for public nest excavation programs in Jensen Beach. EAI offers public programs in partnership with Florida Oceanographic Society on select Friday mornings throughout July and August.
• City of Delray BeachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with City of Delray Beach and Sandoway Discovery Center for public nest excavation programs. EAI conducts excavations at various locations between Delray Public Beach and Atlantic Dunes Park.
• Audubon of Martin CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Audubon of Martin County and Martin County Public Library to provide 'Birding Backpacks' for residents to check out, engaging community in local ecosystems and birdwatching.
• The Reef InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAI assisted The Reef Institute in deploying an artificial reef within the Lake Worth Lagoon as part of the Marine Living Structures Initiative. EAI provided transportation to deployment site and photo documentation.
• Martin CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership including Bathtub Beach renourishment monitoring, water quality evaluation for stormwater treatment areas, and ongoing sea turtle nesting surveys. EAI conducted monitoring during beach nourishment operations.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAI serves as subcontractor to Manson Construction for the Cat Island Beach and Dune Fill Restoration Project in Mississippi, monitoring sea turtle and shorebird nesting and turbidity.
• CSA Ocean Sciences Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAI works with CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. and Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department to create a geospatial seagrass site selection decision tree for restoration designs and monitoring protocols.
• The Surfrider FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAI sea turtle monitor staff partnered with The Surfrider Foundation to help educate the public on data collected during nest excavations through video content.
• Florida Shorebird AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAI participates in shorebird research and has contributed data to Florida Shorebird Alliance monitoring reports. Active participant in Volusia County, Treasure Coast, and Southeast Florida Shorebird Partnerships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Environmental Science Associates (ESA): Mid-size multi-disciplinary environmental consulting firm offering biological resource services, permitting, and impact assessment. ESA is a directly comparable firm in size, service mix, and coastal/wetlands focus.
• Biological Research Associates: Florida-based ecological consulting firm providing wildlife surveys, permitting, and environmental assessments. Closely comparable niche peer offering protected species and habitat services in the same Florida geography as EAI.
• Anchor QEA: Mid-size environmental and water resources consulting firm offering ecosystem restoration, permitting, and biological services. Anchor QEA is a comparable niche peer in size and service mix, with overlapping coastal and protected-species practice areas.
• CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. Florida-headquartered marine environmental consulting firm specializing in seagrass, benthic, and coastal surveys. CSA partners with EAI on the Brevard County seagrass restoration geospatial decision-tree project and competes for similar marine and estuarine work.

Broad incumbents

• Jacobs: Global professional services firm with a sizable environmental and water practice. Jacobs competes with EAI for federal coastal infrastructure work, including USACE coastal restoration and water quality monitoring engagements.
• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with a leading environmental practice spanning water, ecology, and coastal services. Tetra Tech competes with EAI on federal and large-utility coastal monitoring contracts and on environmental impact assessment work.
• Stantec: Global multi-disciplinary environmental and engineering consulting firm with deep Florida presence. Stantec is both a direct competitor in protected-species and environmental permitting work and EAI's prime contractor for taxonomy lab services spanning multiple U.S. coastal geographies.
• AECOM: Global environmental and infrastructure services firm offering biological surveys, environmental permitting, and water quality monitoring at scale. AECOM competes with EAI on large federal and state coastal contracts and represents the upper bound of firm scale EAI benchmarks against.
• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy firm with a strong environmental and resilience practice. Arcadis competes for coastal permitting, environmental impact assessment, and Habitat Conservation Plan work similar to EAI's offerings.

Regional players

• Taylor Engineering: Florida-headquartered coastal, water resources, and environmental engineering firm. Taylor Engineering overlaps with EAI on coastal permitting and shoreline-related work in Florida and competes for similar municipal and county clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ecologicalassociates
• Facebookfacebook.com/ecologicalassociates
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecological_associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ecological Associates Inc.