Results from a Survey of Conservation Banking Sponsors and Managers

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or Service) requested that the Department of the Interior’s (Department, Interior or DOI) Office of Policy Analysis (PPA) conduct a review of data from the USFWS conservation banking program, identify any institutional or other impediments to creating habitat conservation banks, and develop potential options for encouraging the expanded use of conservation banking. The specific questions to be addressed included:

1. What metrics could be used to measure success programmatically and for individual banks?

2. What are the important lessons learned since 1992?

3. What are the characteristics of successful conservation banks?

4. What can be learned from similar programs, such as Wetland Mitigation Banking?

5. Are there technical and institutional obstacles limiting the establishment of additional banks?

6. What additional incentives could spur bank creation and growth?

7. What are the options for reducing the obstacles and providing incentives?