CONSERVATION BANKING

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CONSERVATION BANKING
A Tool for Conserving Listed Species Through
Section 7 and Section 10 of the ESA
Macroteaching lesson PowerPoint delivered to BIOL
375 class (Conservation Biology) November 2005.
Original had a photo of an endangered species
here.
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OVERVIEW

• Endangered Species Act (ESA)
• Baseline Species Trends
• Mitigation
• Conservation Banking
• Case Study

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ESA Administered by

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• (Department of the Interior)
• National Marine Fisheries Service
• (Department of Commerce)

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Endangered Species Act
Section 2 - Purposes Section 4 -
Listing Section 7 - Consultations and
Interagency Cooperation Section 9 - Prohibited
Acts Section 10 - Permits, HCPs
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ESA Section 2 Purposes

• To provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon
  which endangered species and threatened species
  depend may be conserved, to provide a program for
  the conservation of these listed species

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ESA Section 4 Listing Criteria

• Any one of these 5 factors results in listing
• present or threatened destruction, modification,
  or curtailment of its habitat or range
• over utilization for commercial, recreational,
  scientific, or education purposes
• disease or predation
• inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms
• other natural or manmade factors affecting its
  continued existence.

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ESA Section 9 Prohibited Acts

• It is unlawful to take listed species.
• Take means to harass, harm pursue, hunt, shoot,
  wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or
  attempt to engage in any such conduct.

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Examples (photos) of federally listed endangered
and threatened species were shown on several
slides during the lecture.
Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp
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Incidental Take Authorization

• Only 2 ways to get Incidental Take Authorization
• Section 7 Consultation
• Section 10 Habitat Conservation Plan

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On-Site Minimization Measures
On-Site Mitigation Measures
Off-Site Mitigation Measures
Off-Site Minimization Measures
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Avoidance, Minimization, Mitigation

• Mitigation is compensation for impacts to listed
  species that could not be avoided or minimized.
• Mitigation often refers to the restoration,
  enhancement, creation, or preservation of habitat
  for the listed species impacted.

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Baseline and Species Trends

Recovery
B A S E L I N E
Survival
0
T I M E
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Baseline and Species Trends

Recovery
B A S E L I N E
Survival
0
T I M E
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Baseline and Species Trends

Recovery
Declining Species Trend
B A S E L I N E
Survival
0
T I M E
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Species Trends and Extinction

Recovery
B A S E L I N E
Declining Species Trend
Survival
E X T I N C T
0
T I M E
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Baseline and Species Trends

Recovery
Stable Species Trend
B A S E L I N E
Survival
0
T I M E
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Species Trends and Recovery

Recovery
Increasing Species Trend
B A S E L I N E
Survival
0
T I M E
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On-Site Minimization Measures
On-Site Mitigation Measures
Off-Site Mitigation Measures
Off-Site Minimization Measures
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Conservation Bank
Definition A parcel of land containing natural
resource values that are conserved and managed in
perpetuity for specified listed species and used
to offset impacts occurring elsewhere to the same
resource values on non-bank lands.
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Unplanned Development

KEY
Developed Preserved
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Unplanned Development Continued

KEY
Developed Preserved
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Unplanned Development Completed

KEY
Developed Preserved
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Planned Development

KEY
Developed Preserved
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Example shown here.
Small, On-site Mitigation Hostage Lot
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Example shown here.
Conservation / Mitigation Bank
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How it works

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (or NMFS)
  approves habitat or species credits based on the
  natural resource values on the bank lands
• Developers buy these credits from the bank owner

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Conservation Bank Design

• Preserve Size and Shape
• Habitat Quality/Condition
• Habitat Diversity
• Species Diversity
• Potential for Restoration
• Edge

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Protection in Perpetuity

• Conservation Easement
• Management Plan
• Monitoring Plan
• Compliance
• Effectiveness
• Endowment (non-wasting)

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Management and Monitoring

• Plan for Perpetual Monitoring and Management
• Specify Goals and Objectives
• Develop Success Criteria
• Establish Trigger Points for Management
  Intervention
• Plan for Exotic/Alien Species
• Use an adaptive management approach

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Reporting Requirements

• Biological Inventory (establish baseline)
• Results of Monitoring Efforts
• Management Actions Taken
• Management Actions Recommended
• Credit Sales Receipts and Annual Reports

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Case StudyFitzgerald Ranch Conservation Bank

• Located in San Joaquin County, CA
• Approximately 800 acres
• Habitat grassland (vernal pools), oak savanna
• Species vernal pool fairy shrimp, California
  tiger salamander, Legenera, western spadefoot
  toad
• Approved to sell credits
• Service areas approved

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Photo from Conservation Banks website shown here.
Fitzgerald Ranch Conservation Bank
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Establishing a Conservation Bank

• Conservation Strategy
• Goals and Objectives
• Eligible Lands
• Biological Inventory
• Is there a market?
• Is the property (bank site) encumbered?

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Establishing a Conservation Bank

• Coordination w/other Federal, State, and Local
  Agencies
• Develop Credit System
• Determine Service Area
• Can the Bank be Phased?
• Role of Habitat Restoration/Creation

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Establishing a Conservation Bank

• Management Plan
• Monitoring for Compliance
• Monitoring for Effectiveness
• Remedial Actions/Remedies
• Funding Assurances
• Planning for Contingencies
• Bank Closure

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Examples of urban development project shown here.
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Example of agricultural development project shown
here.
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How many are there?

• About 45 banks nationwide
• Protecting over 35,000 acres
• Habitat for over 30 species
• Program is growing
• Some controversy, but widely excepted