Resources for Approved County Qualified Biologists
This webpage provides various resources for Ventura County Approved Qualified Biologists that are within the County’s Qualified Biologist Program. The resources are meant to centralize the available biological information available for completing required environmental documents associated with development projects in the County.
The table below contains links to biological data resources to be utilized when conducting environmental review within the County of Ventura.
Access the Permitting Resources page for information about required biological report procedures.
Ventura County’s board-adopted CEQA guidance and standards for determining significant impacts of proposed development.
Required standards and template for biological assessments in the non-coastal zone of the County.
Biological Assessment in the Coastal Zone: Coastal Initial Study Biological Assessment Template
Coming Soon!
Public GIS Viewer containing Countywide biological resource data
Publically Available Databases of Biological Resource Information
Coming soon!
Summary of Biological Resources Goals, Policies, and Regulations
Coming soon!
The Ventura County Biological Assessment and Resources Google Drive is a repository of biological resource materials for County approved qualified biologists.
Important Announcements for County-Approved Qualified Biologists
Required 2025 Trainings for Approved Qualified Biologists
The remaining 2025 Qualified Biologist trainings will be postponed until early 2026 to ensure consistency between the newly updated Initial Study Assessment Guidelines (ISAGs) and the development of new guidance documents for biological assessments conducted in the coastal and non-coastal zones within the County. To view the previous 2025 training and slide deck conducted for the non-coastal zone Initial Study Biological Assessments (ISBAs) and other available resources for biologists, click “Biological Assessment Materials and Resources Google Drive” and navigate to the “QB Communications” folder.
COASTAL ZONE BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS: APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED FOR INITIAL PROJECT SITING DESIGN AND BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS FOR DISCRETIONARY DEVELOPMENT IN THE COASTAL ZONE AREAS OUTSIDE ESTABLISHED COASTAL EXISTING COMMUNITIES.
Please refer to Coastal Zoning Ordinance (CZO) Section 8178-2.2 for the applicability of these regulations to new development. Biological assessments prepared by Approved Qualified Biologists must meet all new Coastal Initial Study Biological Assessment (CISBA) standards (Sec. AE-1.3) in Coastal Zoning Ordinance Appendix E1– Site-Specific Environmental Assessments for Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA). In addition, a least damaging alternatives analysis (CZO Sections 8178-2.3 (b) and 8178-2.6.1) must be conducted for siting the building site and this analysis must be based on the results of the CISBA.
NON-COASTAL ZONE: APPROVED QUALIFIED BIOLOGISTS PREPARING AN INITIAL STUDY BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (ISBA) FOR DISCRETIONALRY DEVELOPMENT ARE REQUIRED TO USE THE REPORT TEMPLATE LINKED HERE: Standards for Initial Study Biological Assessments
All Approved Qualified Biologists must be subscribed to the Qualified Biologist Update E-Mail List to receive periodical important notifications and updates.
Updates to Qualified Biological Consultant Contact Information
If you are an approved Qualified Biologist and have any updates for contact information or employer changes, please contact the email or phone number below and send the updated information. The list of Qualified Biological Consultants will be updated within one week of the date the notification and adequate information is received by the Planning Division.
For questions regarding the County’s Qualified Biologist Program, please contact Abigail Convery, Qualified Biologist Program lead at Abigail.Convery@venturacounty.gov or 805-654-2834.
For questions regarding a specific ISBA for a permit application, please contact the permit case planner assigned to the project.
Contact Us
Abigail Convery
Qualified Biologist Program Lead
Senior Planner/Staff Biologist
Abigail.Convery@venturacounty.gov
(805) 654-2489