(Washington, DC) — A report released this week, Design of U.S. Habitat Banking Systems to Support the Conservation of Wildlife Habitat and At-Risk Species, a joint effort of the Environmental Law Institute® and Environmental Defense (both DC-based), assesses the potential for habitat banking to contribute to the conservation of priority wildlife habitat identified in the state wildlife action plans. These plans, available in all 50 states, identify each state’s at-risk species, the habitats on which they depend, actions to conserve the species and their habitats, and, with varying degrees of specificity, strategies to achieve those priorities. The research was supported by the Wildlife Habitat Policy Research Program, a results oriented program with the mission to develop and disseminate objective information and practical tools to accelerate the conservation of wildlife habitat in the United States.
In the report, Bean, Kihslinger, and Wilkinson offer a series of recommendations on how to utilize existing habitat banking programs, establish new banks under existing authorities, or launch new habitat banking systems to support the protection of critical wildlife habitat identified in the state wildlife action plans.
“Although wetland mitigation banking and endangered species conservation banking have not always lived up to the ecological and expectations envisioned for them,” stated Jessica Wilkinson, Director of ELI’s Wetlands Program and co-author of the report, “with the appropriate safeguards banking does hold the potential to contribute to the conservation of priority habitats identified in the state wildlife action plans.” This report also provides general recommendations for advancing the use of banking for wildlife conservation purposes.
The report may be viewed through the following link: http://www.elistore.org/reports_detail.asp?ID=11273.