Robert Needham

Founder of Needham Environmental, Inc., Winnabow, NCMr. Needham opened his wetland consulting firm in 1989. The firm has performed wetland delineations in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama and the District of Columbia. Work has been primarily in the east where large wetland acreage and developmental pressure coincide. Determinations have ranged from lots to 2000 plus acres. The firm has successfully provided expert witnesses regarding wetlands. Mr. Needham has demonstrated a knowledge of regulations, policy guidance, and technical expertise applicable to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. During his nine years of employment in the Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program, Mr. Needham was responsible for enforcement actions of Section 404 violations. This included wetland delineation, coordination with agencies, and the development of restoration/mitigation plans. His technical knowledge of wetlands and vegetation succession, coupled with his common sense approach, resulted in an exceptionally high ratio of resolved cases without litigation. A portion of his duty in the Alaska District involved the review of technical work of three biologists, and he provided multiparameter wetland training to 20 Alaska District regulatory personnel. In addition to his Corps experience, Mr. Needham’s years of association with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington have added to his scientific knowledge, particularly his knowledge of vegetative communities. His graduate work, comparing bird populations among three forest swamps, was related to changes in vegetation as a result of flooding frequency. His wetland mapping experience, with the Corps and under contract with the Corps, exceeds 1600 square miles. With this experience, he has become adept at recognizing long term changes in vegetative communities in relation to hydrologic changes. Mr. Needham received a B.S. degree (emphasis in Ecology) and an M.S. degree (emphasis in Wetlands) from the University of North Carolina- Wilmington. He is a certified wetland professional with the Society of Wetland Scientists.