JAMES G. (SPIDER) BARBOUR

James SpiderEcologist, Botanist, Rare Species Specialist

Professional Experience
For more than 25 years, Mr. Barbour has been well regarded as an expert in a variety of areas of ecology. He has been relied upon as an expert by both the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and not-for-profit organizations such as Hudsonia, Ltd. He has also been utilized as an instructor in these areas at both Hudsonia and Bard College. Areas of expertise include general ecology; natural history of Northeast North America; New York State rare plants, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies; vernal pool ecology and quality assessment; wetland delineation, quality assessment and characterization; floristic surveys; community ecology, descriptions and mapping; site assessment for biological resources, biological survey project planning and design.

Primary services offered by this consortium member can be found on the following pages (click on to see):

Ecological Services
Advocacy for Neighborhood or Environmental Groups

EDUCATION

B.S. Zoology
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio

Graduate Studies:
Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Plant ecology and taxonomy, wetland delineation, animal ecology, Hudsonia, Ltd., Annandale, NY

Wetland Delineation Certificate, Rutgers University.

Mycology (fungi study): Institute for Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY

Botanical Studies: White Creek Field School, White Creek, NY

REPRESENTATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE

Town of New Paltz, 2006-Present: Wetlands Inspector.

Scenic Hudson, Inc. 2005-06. Environmental Assessment of Kingston Landing development site, City of Kingston, Ulster County, NY.

Matthew D. Rudikoff Associates, Inc. 2005: Invertebrate Survey of Carvel Property, Towns of Pine Plains and Milan, NY.

Hudsonia, Ltd. , Annandale, NY:

  • 2005-06: Biological Inventory of Stone Church Site (Dutchess County Land Conservancy), Town of Dover, Dutchess County, New York.
  • 2005-06: Biological Inventory of New Croton Reservoir, Westchester County, NY (New York City Department of Environmental Protection).
    2004: Rare Plant Survey at the proposed  “Dover Knolls” Development Site, Town of Dover, Dutchess County, New York.
  • 2001: Cerulean Warbler survey on Schodack Island, Hudson River Estuary, Town of Stuyvesant, Columbia County, NY. Community survey and mapping of Fishkill Ridge, Town of Fishkill, Dutchess County, N.Y.
  • 2001: Assessment of proposed logging sites in Town of Woodstock, Ulster County, NY.
  • 2003: RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary Management Plan for Audubon New York and Scenic Hudson Land Trust, Inc. Harlem Valley Supplement to Manual of Biodiversity in the Hudson Valley. Biodiversity inventory of Martin Van Buren Historic Site, Kinderhook, NY.
    Hudsonia, Ltd., U.S. Forest Service & NYSDEC. 2001-02. ECOMAP of New York Hudson Highlands. Vegetation analysis and cover type determination for ecological units (mapped polygons); writing of ecological unit descriptions; coordination and integration of information sources (National Vegetational Classification System, New York Natural Heritage Program Ecological Communities, DEC Forest Types, Society of American Forester Forest Types).
    Hudsonia, Ltd. & Metropolitan Conservation Alliance.
  • 2000. Biological surveys in Wallkill River drainage, Orange and Ulster Counties, NY

1982-present.  Field Ecologist.  Approximately 75 biological surveys of large and small land areas, rare plant and animal surveys in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey; conducted field surveys, prepared reports and maps, plant and animal lists.

Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association:

  • 2002. Herpetological survey of Harlem Valley Rail Trail corridor, Dutchess and Columbia Counties, N.Y. (with Peter C. Warny).
  • 1999-2000. Biological survey of Harlem Valley Rail Trail corridor, Dutchess and Columbia Counties, NY; development of interpretive and educational materials.

City of Newburgh Department of Engineering and Quassaick Creek Coalition 2003-2004: Quassaick Creek Estuary Preserve and Trail Project Biodiversity Survey and Natural Resources Inventory and Assessment.

New York State Museum, Albany, NY:

  • 2002-2003. Floristic Survey of Sterling Forest State Park and Schunnemunk Mountain; Hudson Highlands Region Flora Project.
  • 1992-present.  Field Botanist.  Floristic Surveys of West Point Military Academy and Bear Mountain/Harriman/Storm King State Parks, Sterling Forest State Park (1998-2000); collected, identified (in part) and databased voucher specimens.

New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, NY:

  • 2001. Community surveys and  mapping of Hudson Highlands State Park, Camp Smith, and Peekskill Hollow and associated uplands, Putnam County, N.Y. Community survey and mapping of Pound Ridge area, Westchester County, N.Y. Rare butterfly surveys in southeastern New York.
  • 2003: Rare Plant surveys in Clarence Fahnestock State Park and Wonder Lake State Park.
  • 2000.  Rare species surveys and ecological community mapping in the Hudson Highlands: Orange, Rockland, Dutchess and Putnam counties, NY.
  • 1999.  Conducted field surveys, filled out standard NHP forms, wrote reports, prepared community maps from air photos and ground-truthing.
  • 1999. Rare species surveys and ecological community mapping along Appalachian Trail corridor.
  • 1994-97.  Rare Species and Community Surveys of New York State Wildlife Management Areas

Town of Cornwall, Field Ecologist. 1988, 1992-present. 2004-05. Biodiversity Inventory of Angola Road Park, Town of Cornwall, Orange County, New York.

U.S. Department of the Army:

  • 2003: Supplementary Survey of Rare Plants of the West Point Military Reservation.
  • 2002: Survey of Lepidoptera of the West Point Military Reservation.
  • 1993-present.  Consulting Ecologist and field surveyor (Rare Plants, Community Ecology, Butterflies, vernal pool inventory, moths); conducted surveys, GPS-located rare plant locations, prepared reports and maps.

Black Rock Forest Conservancy. 1996-98. Rare plant survey.

Environmental Design and Research, P.C., Syracuse, NY, 1998. Habitat assessment and rare species surveys for Orange and Rockland Utilities project sites.

Hudson River Foundation, 1985. Butterfly Survey of Tivoli North Bay, Annandale, NY.

Saratoga Associates, Saratoga Springs, NY, 1991-93. Consulting Ecologist (Karner Blue Butterfly).

Palisades Interstate Parks Commission:

  • 1998-99: Reconnaissance and habitat assessment of Fort Montgomery Site. Inspections and impact assessments of proposed hiking trails in Hudson Highlands parks
  • 1996-2000. Ecological surveys and impact assessment of proposed hiking trails in Sterling Forest State Park.
  • 1996. Preliminary Butterfly Survey of Bear Mountain/Harriman Parks.  Communities Inventory and Management Advisory Plan for Trailside Museums Area.