Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended						3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012 Purchase	Aug. 31, 2010	Jan. 31, 2013 Gustavson [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Gustavson [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Walsh 01 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Walsh 02 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Ecology and Environment do Brasil LTDA [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Walsh 03 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Lowham [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Walsh Peru [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Gestion Ambiental Consultores [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Walsh 04 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Walsh 05 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Gustavson [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Gustavson [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 01 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 01 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 02 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 02 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Ecology and Environment do Brasil LTDA [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Ecology and Environment do Brasil LTDA [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 03 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 03 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Lowham [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Lowham [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh Peru [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh Peru [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Gestion Ambiental Consultores [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Gestion Ambiental Consultores [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 04 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 04 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 05 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Walsh 05 [Member]	Jan. 28, 2013 Walsh [Member]	Dec. 17, 2012 Walsh [Member]	Jan. 04, 2012 Walsh [Member]	Dec. 14, 2011 Ecology and Environment do Brasil LTDA [Member]	Nov. 18, 2011 Walsh Peru [Member]	Dec. 28, 2012 Gustavson [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Lowham Walsh [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Common Class A [Member]
Class A and Class B common stock [Abstract]
Percentage equity holders entitled to elect Board of Directors (in hundredths)																																															25.00%
Minimum percentage of the number of outstanding Class A shares to combined classes of shares (in hundredths)																																															10.00%
Voting power of Class A common share holders to the Class B common share holders (in hundredths)																																															10.00%
Dividends, Cash [Abstract]
Cash dividends declared	$ 1,018,540	$ 1,017,776	$ 1,018,540	$ 1,017,776	$ 2,000,000													$ 0	$ 0
Accrued dividends payable	1,018,783	1,028,881	1,018,783	1,028,881	1,000,000
Stock Repurchase [Abstract]
Number of shares authorized to be repurchased (in shares)						200,000
Remaining number of shares authorized to be repurchased (in shares)	93,173		93,173
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			577,272	817,549	100,000																																			300,000	200,000	300,000	200,000	400,000	400,000	100,000
Interest Acquired (in hundredths)																																								1.30%	0.90%	1.30%	4.00%	3.90%	6.70%
Percentage of acquisition paid in cash (in hundredths)																																								66.00%		66.00%
Percentage of acquisition paid with stock (in hundredths)																																								33.33%		33.33%
Number of additional purchases of noncontrolling interest					3
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Issuance of shares to noncontrolling interests																		0	41,634	0	41,634
Transfers from noncontrolling interest																		(748,882)	(619,775)	(293,102)	0	0	(76,037)	0	(277,514)	0	77,539	0	(97,634)	(30,002)	0	0	(238,677)	0	(7,452)	(182,125)	0	(243,653)	0
Transfers to (from) noncontrolling interest																		$ (748,882)	$ (578,141)
Shares issued (in shares)								600
Shares repurchased (in shares)							2,800		152	496	5,389	166	75	26,482	25	370	495
Term of note issued			3 years