In 1979, Mike and Donna Bird founded Bird Forestry, a family-owned company that, to this day, continues to offer high-quality, science-based forest management for a wide variety of clients. Forest types range from coastal bottomlands to the Rocky Mountains, dealing with both conifers and broadleaf trees.

And though Bird Forestry has been successful for many years and has drawn highly skilled and innovative professionals from some of the best forestry and GIS programs in the country, the Birds’ ability to spot trends and opportunities that might offer diversification and profit prompted them to take calculated risks to expand the original domain of their business.

In 1989, they launched Silva-Tech South, which offers ground application of herbicides to average timberland holdings. The ownership of Silva-Tech allowed Bird Forestry to have stronger outcomes for its forestland management services, as well as well-defined quality control.

With the addition of Terry Anderson in 1991, the company gained its first wildlife biologist/forester, which added a wildlife management expertise. The collaboration and synergy between the Birds and Anderson helped them form the unique entity, Advanced Ecology in 1994.

Advanced Ecology bridged the gap between natural resource management and environmental regulation. With the addition of Mark Brian, in 1996, Advanced Ecology and affiliated companies developed a rock solid team of professionals with diverse skills and the ability to tackle environmental challenges and capitalize on environmental opportunities as they presented themselves.

One such opportunity was the growing market of mitigation banking. The team began to focus energy on both consulting and implementing mitigation banks throughout East Texas.

In 2006, the team met Terry McKenzie, a sales and marketing professional who’d gained valuable firsthand experience in mitigation banking through completing the often-arduous process of implementing a mitigation bank, Martin Creek, on his own property. McKenzie leveraged his success as national sales manager of Indian Motorcycles onto the developing ecosystems market and founded Mitigation Solutions USA (MSUSA), a firm that markets and sells environmental credits. MSUSA Vice President Troy Madrigal added real estate acumen as well as invaluable experience in the oil and gas trading market.

In 2008, Advanced Ecology developed a relationship with Mitigation Solutions USA that gave them a sales and marketing team for their mitigation banks as well as for the services and products of all affiliated companies.

In 2011, the company collaborated with Mark Erb, expert in native seedlings, to form TerraNative. Native trees are already genetically predisposed to the weather, soils, and other growing conditions of a specific area and help provide much more successful outcomes for environmental restoration.

Advanced Ecology is a unique community of talent, drive, intelligence, and innovation. The original family-owned business has become a family of companies, each member plays a role that enhances the whole.

To date, the company has completed mitigation banking projects in multiple states, credit sales transactions in several USACE Corps Districts, planted hundreds of thousands of trees. We’re excited to continue innovating and collaborating on enhancing natural resource value.