A Building-Block Approach to Service Areas

The unique contribution of mitigation banks arises from the power of choice—the ability to select the best sites and the best design for wetland restoration in advance of impacts. To function at this high level, there has to be a balance in economic and ecological perspectives. Current service area models either minimize the economic variable or pit the two values against each other in agency-banker negotiations. However, with a better understanding of the needs or motivations of bankers and the regulatory agencies, a model can be developed to select sites that prioritize regionally significant conservation. This article proposes a new service area model to provide incentives favoring regionally significant projects over average or low-performing projects.