Candidate Conservation

Whether you’re a landowner, state wildlife agency, private corporation, university or average American citizen, there are numerous opportunities to support the conservation of our nation’s species. Below are some of the many tools that you can use to learn more about how you can proactively remove or reduce threats to candidate species, thus contributing to stabilizing or restoring the species so that listing is no longer necessary.

Candidate Conservation Agreements

The Service and one or more public or private parties can enter into voluntary Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCAs) to address the needs of proposed, candidate, or other at-risk species before they become listed as endangered or threatened. Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAAs) expand on the success of traditional CCAs by providing non-federal landowners with additional incentives for engaging in voluntary proactive conservation through assurances that limit future conservation obligations.

Search the Conservation Plans and Agreements Database for plans that have been approved and are being implemented.

State Wildlife Action Plans

All state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies have established comprehensive conservation plans that, together, provide a nationwide blueprint of actions to conserve imperiled species. Most, if not all, of our candidate species are included in these plans. By working together with states, we may be able to remove threats and improve habitats and prevent them these species from becoming threatened or endangered.

The State Wildlife Action Plans are a thorough state-by-state assessment of the condition/status of wildlife and the actions needed to ensure their survival.