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About Us

Who we are, What we offer

We are specialists in Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, which is the section of the act that relates to government activities that can impact endangered species. More specifically, it requires any agency that funds, authorizes, or carries out an action that may affect a listed species or their designated critical habitat to enter into a consultation process with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or the National Marine Fisheries Service. This consultation process determines whether the action in question is consistent with Congress's requirements regarding jeopardy of listed species and destruction of critical habitat.

If Section 7 sounds a bit complicated -- well, it is. That's why anyone involved in the process it mandates needs ready access to quality information and training from an experienced and trusted source. Doug Laye, a nationally recognized Section 7 expert with over two decades of consultation, policy, and teaching experience, is just such a source. Here at section7training.com, he has put together a website that combines invaluable Section 7 reference materials with a gateway to practical, authoritative, and accessible training in Section 7 Consultation and Inter-agency Cooperation.

About Doug Laye

Doug Laye

Founder, Chief Instructor

Doug began his career with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a field crew member on the first 3 re-introductions of the California condor to southern California. Transferring into the Ecological Services Program, he spent the next 25 years conducting, leading, and advising ESA Section 7 consultations. Along with assisting in field work with listed species, he also maintained qualifications as a type 2 wildland firefighter until retiring from the Service in 2022. His career spanned offices in California, Oregon, Idaho and Colorado, including serving six years as Mountain Prairie Region’s consultation coordinator, and three years as the first National Section 7 Policy Lead for the FWS headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.

Over that time, he trained hundreds of federal and non-federal biologists in the practice and philosophy of successful consultation and was consistently one of the most highly rated instructors at the Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center from 2007-2020.

In 2015 and 2018 he was a key Fish and Wildlife Service member on teams revising the federal regulations for section 7 consultation, the draft revision of the consultation handbook in 2020 and the revision of the national section 7 training course for the National Conservation Training Center in 2020.

Since founding Section 7 Training LLC in 2022 he has trained hundreds of agency biologists and staff from over 15 federal agencies both online and occasionally in person at their facilities. Trainees include personnel from the U. S. Forest Service, United States Navy, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and many others. He has also trained staff from many state agencies, and numerous environmental consulting firms. He is qualified as a Public Information Officer and in that role supports Complex Incident Management Teams during Wildland Fire Season.

Over that time, he trained hundreds of federal and non-federal biologists in the practice and philosophy of successful consultation and was consistently one of the most highly rated instructors at the Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center from 2007-2020.

In 2015 and 2018 he was a key Fish and Wildlife Service member on teams revising the federal regulations for section 7 consultation, the draft revision of the consultation handbook in 2020 and the revision of the national section 7 training course for the National Conservation Training Center in 2020.

Since founding Section 7 Training LLC in 2022 he has trained hundreds of agency biologists and staff from over 15 federal agencies both online and occasionally in person at their facilities. Trainees include personnel from the U. S. Forest Service, United States Navy, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and many others. He has also trained staff from many state agencies, and numerous environmental consulting firms. He is qualified as a Public Information Officer and in that role supports Complex Incident Management Teams during Wildland Fire Season.

Invoice Request for Enrollment in Course:

Biological Assessment Essentials

Invoice Request for Enrollment in Course:

Essentials of Programmatic Consultations

Invoice Request for Enrollment in Course:

Essentials of Section 7 Consultation

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