David B. Conlin

David’s family exposed him to our natural resources through frequent camping and hiking trips in the Pacific Northwest. In high school, David discovered that science classes were an ideal way to combine his strong appreciation for nature with his scientific and evidence-based mindset. Ecology courses became the focus of David’s academic studies and professional career.

At GeoEngineers, David helps clients comply with environmental protection regulations. “These regulations generally afford protections to sensitive species and habitats (e.g. threatened and endangered species) and water resources such as wetlands, streams, lakes and marine shorelines. The bottom line is that development/infrastructure projects must be planned, permitted and executed in accordance with established guidelines to ensure environmental protection and sustainability,” David explains.

David appreciates the rare opportunity to work as a professional biologist and enjoys many aspects of the work. “I love the challenge of balancing the needs of project proponents with regulations that are in place to ensure there aren’t unintended detrimental consequences to the environment from these projects. This often takes a lot of creativity, working with project engineers and regulatory agencies, to find the delicate balance between opposing demands. I also love the chance to integrate habitat restoration and enhancement features into project designs that I know will have valuable benefits to sensitive species and ecological processes,” David adds that he finds it inspiring that for many clients, environmental protection is not simply a technical hurdle to overcome in the permitting process, but a desired outcome of the project itself.

The love for the outdoors and nature that began when David was young has evolved into passions for climbing, skiing and running in the mountains, which he pursues in his free time. He also enjoys being on the water and hiking in the wide variety of landscapes we are lucky to have in the Pacific Northwest.