Conservation Banking

Conservation Bank Landscape with Species

A conservation bank is like a financial bank. It protects these resources like a bank protects your money. When someone plans a project that will impact endangered species or other natural resources, they can buy credits in a conservation bank. The bank owner then uses the money to protect the resources in the bank. Traditionally, project developers have been asked to preserve part of the area they are developing. Sometimes this is a good policy. But lots of times it is better to have larger areas protected in conservation banks. It is also more efficient and cost effective to manage a bank instead of small, isolated properties.

For more information, see our pamphlet Conservation Banking, Incentives for Stewardship (173 KB PDF)

Banking Templates

  1. Instructions for Bank Sponsors (checklists Draft Prospectus - Draft BEI) (Sept. 2010)
  2. Mitigation Bank Enabling Instrument (BEI) (May 2008)
  3. Bank Conservation Easement (March 2010))
  4. Property Assessment and Warranty (PAW) (June 2009) 
  5. Long-term Management Plan (May 2008)
  6. Agreement for the Sale of Conservation Credits (2014)
  7. Checklist for Conservation Bank Annual Monitoring Reports
  8. Subordination Agreement

Wetland Mitigation

Questions about wetland mitigation should be directed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco or Sacramento District Offices.

State of California Information

Information for Bankers and Prospective Bankers: