Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. (ECT) hosted a hands-on training focused on emerging conservation technologies at its Lansing, Michigan office, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to innovation and data-driven environmental solutions.
The training was led by Monarch Joint Venture (MJV) in collaboration with POLLi, and centered on the use of remote sensing, drone technology, and advanced data analysis to support monarch butterfly habitat monitoring and Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) efforts.
The training included both a classroom session and a live field drone demonstration, hosted by Jen Thieme from MJV, giving ECT staff an opportunity to see how unmanned aerial systems can be used to efficiently collect high-resolution habitat data.
Participants learned how drone imagery and emerging analytics tools can complement traditional field methods while supporting consistent, scalable monitoring across larger landscapes.
“Technology is transforming how we approach ecological monitoring,” said Natural Resources Practice Leader Ryan Blankenship, CWB®. “Tools like remote sensing and drone-based data collection allow us to gather more accurate information while improving efficiency for our clients.”
Through this training, ECT continues to strengthen its technical expertise and expand the use of innovative tools that support modern ecological monitoring. As conservation challenges grow in scale and complexity, ECT remains focused on leveraging technology to deliver smarter, more effective environmental solutions.
