Conservation banks are permanently protected lands with high natural resource values.  These lands are both conserved and permanently managed for species that are endangered, threatened, candidates for listing, or other species-at-risk.

According to the National Mitigation Banking Association (NMBA), Conservation banks function to offset unavoidable adverse impacts to these species that occurred elsewhere.  “In exchange for permanently protecting the land and managing it for these species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approves the specified number of habitat or species credits that bank owners may sell.”  Developers who must compensate for the adverse impact their project may have on species may purchase the credits from conservation bank owners to mitigate their impacts.

As of 2009, according to NMBA, more than 90 conservation banks have been approved by the USFWS, now protecting more than 90,000 acres of habitat.  To learn more, email us.