Conservation Banking Enrollment Process
The San Joaquin kit fox, an endangered species of California's Central Valley.
Photo Credit: Paige Najvar/USFWS
- Contact the Service office that covers your area to see if there is a conservation banking program for the resources you could provide. If not, you may still be able to participate, but prepare to be a "pioneer" in your area and realize that the process can take a while.
- Provide the information needed to evaluate the eligibility of your property. You may be asked to provide biological survey results for certain species on the property, a title report to assess encumbrances that may limit your participation, and other information.
- If the Service gives conceptual approval of your property as a conservation bank, you will then need to cooperate on the development of a Conservation Bank Agreement (CBA). The CBA is a contract between you, the Service, and possibly other government agencies if you are also seeking credits for resources regulated by other agencies.
- As a condition of the CBA, you will need to:
a) grant a perpetual conservation easement to an appropriate organization,
b) develop an adaptive management plan for the long-term stewardship of the property, and
c) fund an endowment to cover the long-term operation of the conservation bank property, including monitoring and management of the site.
- Once all parties have agreed to the terms and conditions of the CBA and the document is executed, the Service will release the credits in accordance with the CBA.
The San Joaquin kit fox, an endangered species of California's Central Valley.
Photo Credit: Paige Najvar/USFWS
a) grant a perpetual conservation easement to an appropriate organization,
b) develop an adaptive management plan for the long-term stewardship of the property, and
c) fund an endowment to cover the long-term operation of the conservation bank property, including monitoring and management of the site.
The process can be complicated, but being a conservation banker can be a rewarding partnership. Your local Service office can provide more information or guidance.
Last updated:
August 29, 2012
