WSSI Quick Facts
Year Founded: 1991
Current Employees: 75
President: Michael S. Rolband, P.E., P.W.S., P.W.D., LEED®AP
Projects Completed to Date: Over 2,500
Project Sites: Over 2,300
Project Area: Over 190,000 acres
Primary Service Area: Northern Virginia and Virginia Piedmont |
Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) emerged from The Michael Rolband Company, a real estate development firm founded in 1988 by Michael S. Rolband, P.E., P.W.S., P.W.D., LEED® AP, which specialized in environmentally-challenged sites and infill properties. In 1991, the organization incorporated under the name of Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) to reflect the firm's shift to focusing exclusively on development consulting related to wetlands, the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, and local government water resource initiatives (such as Fairfax County's Environmental Quality Corridors (EQCs)). |
During its first decade in business, WSSI became known for applying the most effective and technically advanced methods to the problem at hand and creating new and innovative solutions when needed. Additionally, WSSI is distinguished for founding and creating Virginia’s:
- First privately-developed wetland bank (Julie J. Metz Wetland Bank in Prince William County, which now serves as a county park);
- Largest wetland bank (Cedar Run Wetlands in Prince William and Fauquier Counties);
- First bank to offer both wetland and stream credits (North Fork Wetlands Bank in Prince William County); and
- First stream mitigation bank (the Northern Virginia Stream Restoration Bank).
To date, WSSI has consulted on more than 2,300 project sites, encompassing more than 190,000 acres, and has created and restored wetlands in a total of seven wetland banks, encompassing more than 2,000 acres. WSSI's workload consists of more than 90 percent repeat clientele.
In 2004, WSSI acquired Thunderbird Archeology Associates (TAA), founded in 1981 by Dr. William H. Gardner and Dr. Joan M. Walker from the nucleus of the non-profit Thunderbird Research Corporation. The merger formalized an unofficial relationship between the two firms that dated back more than a decade; like WSSI, TAA's operated with a multi-disciplinary, environmentally-oriented focus. Now, with both firms operating as one seamless unit, WSSI provides streamlined, one-stop environmental and cultural consulting services, effecting unmatched time and cost-efficiency for its clients.
| In 2009, WSSI acquired CivilTraining, LLC, a leading provider of hands-on training, implementation, and consulting services for Civil Engineering, Surveying, and GIS software. CivilTraining, LLC strives to promote knowledge and best practices in the industries served and to increase profitability by helping professionals become more productive through technology. CivilTraining, LLC has served the industry continuously since 1984, assisting clients with standards implementation, project management, survey automation, and CAD training.
As a testament to WSSI’s outstanding achievements and unparalleled expertise in its field, the firm has received numerous industry achievement awards, and its principal engineers and scientists are often asked to conduct classes and seminars for local universities, industry associations, and regulatory agencies, including: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, the Engineers and Surveyors Institute (ESI), the American Law Institute/American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), and Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VA Tech). In addition, WSSI's president frequently testifies before local, state, and national legislative committees regarding wetlands and water resources' policy. |
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WSSI Quick Timeline
1991: Founded as Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc., in Alexandria, Virginia
1991: Initiated approval process for Julie J. Metz Wetland Bank
1994: Relocated from Alexandria to Chantilly, Virginia
1996: Staff reached 10 members
1997: Completed construction of Julie J. Metz Wetland Bank
2000: Completed 1,000th project
2001: Staff reached 25 members
2004: Acquired Thunderbird Archeology Associates, Inc.
2004: Began approval process for the Northern Virginia Stream Restoration Bank
2005: Staff reached 95 members
2006: Relocated from Chantilly to Gainesville, Virginia
2006: Staff reached 100 members
2009: Acquired CivilTraining, LLC
2010: Acquired SmartDraftTM
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Always maintaining its principle of holistically examining environmental and cultural issues in the development process, WSSI has grown to a staff of approximately 75 engineers, scientists, archeologists, surveyors, technicians, GIS, and administrative staff. Understanding the unique perspectives of its clients allows WSSI to successfully integrate the practical constraints of economics and land plan requirements with the need to satisfy local, state, and federal regulations.
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