Austin Ecological Services Field Office

Since two-thirds of federally listed species have at least some habitat on private land, and some species have most of their remaining habitat on private land, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has developed an array of tools and incentives to protect the...

Section 7 Consultation is the process that federal agencies must use to ensure they are not harming listed species or their habitat. Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies to consult with us on actions that they:

NOTE: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) finalized new Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 10(a) implementing regulations, which became effective on May 13, 2024. The changes simplify section 10(a)(1)(A) by combining Candidate Conservation...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) considers candidate species to be those plants and animals that are candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These are species for which we have enough information regarding their biological status and threats to propose them as...

NOTE: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) finalized new Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 10(a) implementing regulations, which became effective on May 13, 2024. The changes simplify section 10(a)(1)(A) by combining Candidate Conservation...

Incidental take permits may be sought when a non-federal entity believes their otherwise lawful activities may result in take of endangered or threatened animal species. A habitat conservation plan (HCP) must accompany an application for an incidental take permit. The...

Conservation banking is a market-based system for conserving species and their habitat. It consists of a partnership between a landowner, one or more government agencies, and the community of developers and others who implement or fund projects that adversely affect endangered or threatened...