Paleo Resource Specialists was founded in 2023 by Paleo Solutions’ former co-owner, Dr. Paul C. Murphey. Building on the successful Paleo Solutions business model, we are committed to offering clients the attentive service of a boutique firm combined with the knowledge, expertise, capabilities, and financial stability of a national company. In March 2025, Western Slope Paleontological Services, owned by Joshua A. Smith, M.S., merged with Paleo Resource Specialists in response to growing client needs and service demands. Josh founded Western Slope Paleontological Services in 2009 and built a strong record of successfully completing projects throughout the Mountain West.
Collectively, Paul and Josh have held Bureau of Land Management Paleontological Resource Use Permits across Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Alaska, and Nebraska. They also maintain paleontological permits and certifications from numerous federal, state, and local agencies, including the USFS, the California Energy Commission, and the City and County of San Diego, Riverside County, and Orange County, California.
Our project experience spans a wide range of industries and project types, including interstate pipelines and transmission lines, well fields, solar and wind farm projects, highways and railroads, 3D geophysical investigations, residential and commercial developments, NEPA analyses, and resource management studies for BLM, USFS, and NPS lands.
Comprehensive Paleontological Resource Services
Paleo Resource Specialists provides high-quality paleontological services nationwide, including impact evaluations, mitigation and monitoring plans, field surveys, third-party reviews, construction monitoring, fossil salvage, and fossil preparation, identification, and analysis. We also offer Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS/drone) surveys and photogrammetry for environmental resource monitoring and construction and engineering projects.
By leveraging our deep expertise, we deliver innovative solutions that help clients save time and resources while maintaining the highest standards of compliance and best practices. We take pride in understanding the statutes and regulations that govern each project and are committed to thorough, ethical, and effective paleontological resource management.
At Paleo Resource Specialists, our UAS team brings unmatched expertise and accuracy to every aerial survey. FAA Part 107 licensed and equipped with professional-grade drones and photogrammetry tools, we support engineering, construction, and environmental resource projects with stunning clarity. From high-resolution 3D modeling and surface analysis to scientific mapping and monitoring, our aerial imagery delivers the insights clients need—whether it’s tracking delicate dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Ridge or modeling terrain for infrastructure development.
