SETTING THE SAGE FOR SUCCESS: STRATEGIC SITE SELECTION & DURABLE SITE PROTECTION MECHANISMS

Presented live on November 5, 2020, this webinar provides an overview of regulatory guidance for selecting mitigation sites and the best practices used by bankers to select suitable sites for meeting mitigation requirements. The session also reviews the suite of site protection mechanisms needed to minimize risk and create durable and successful mitigation banks.

It is recommended that participants view Webinar 1: The Market & Regulatory Drivers for Conservation Banking prior to viewing this webinar.

WEBINAR #3 RECORDING

Presenters:

Matt Gause, Westervelt Ecological Services (mgause@westervelt.com)
Valerie Layne, US Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources (valerie.l.layne@usace.army.mil)
Michelle Mattson, US Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources (michelle.l.mattson@usace.army.mil)
Deblyn Mead, Bureau of Land Management (dMead@blm.gov)
Clint Miller, The Conservation Fund (cmiller@conservationfund.org)
Jeff Phillips, US Fish & Wildlife Service (jeff_phillips@fws.gov)
Veronica Rowan, DOI Office of the Solicitor (veronica.rowan@sol.doi.gov)

Webinar Materials:

• Speaker Bios (PDF)
• USFWS Site Selection Presentation (PDF)
• USACE Site Selection Presentation (PDF)
• Westervelt Case Study Presentation (PDF)
• USFWS & BLM Site Protection Presentation (PDF)
• Role of Land Trusts in Site Protection Presentation (PDF)

SITE SELECTION RESOURCES:

1. Bean, Kihslinger, Wilkinson. “Design of U.S. Habitat Banking Systems to Support the Conservation of Wildlife Habitat and At-Risk Species” ELI, February 2008. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. Kiesecker, et. al. 2009. A Framework for Implementing Biodiversity Offsets: Selecting Sites and Determining Scale. BioScience 59(1):77-84. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. USFWS. “Strategic Habitat Conservation Handbook: A Guide to Implementing the Technical Elements of Strategic Habitat Conservation” Version 1.0, Feb. 11, 2008. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. USFWS. Strategic Habitat Conservation: Selecting Surrogate Species for Conservation Planning and Design, Fact Sheet, March 2013. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
5. USFWS. “The Right Science in the Right Places: Landscape Conservation Cooperatives” December 2009. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
6. USFWS, et al. “Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects” April 2006. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
7. Wilkinson, McElfish, Kihslinger, Bendick, McKenney. “The Next Generation of Mitigation: Linking Current and Future Mitigation Programs with State Wildlife Action Plans and Other State and Regional Plans” ELI, August 2009. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Web Resources:

• Land Trust Alliance Accreditation https://www.landtrustalliance.org/topics/accreditation

Site Protection RESOURCES:

1. Johnson, B. S. Five tips to expedite regulatory review of conservation easements. National Wetland Newsletter. Mar-Apr 2016. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. O’Donnell, M. K. 2016. What title reveals that the land itself cannot. Savingland. Land Trust Alliance newsletter. Summer 2016: 24-27. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. Raffini, Eric. “Mineral rights and banking.” National Wetlands Newsletter. Vol. 34 No. 5, 2012. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. Terzi, Gail. “The Lummi Nation wetland and habitat bank: restoring a piece of history.” National Wetlands Newsletter. Vol. 34 No. 6, 2012.  [DOWNLOAD PDF]

VIEW UPCOMING COURSES

Balancing Nature and Commerce supports gateway communities and their partners in rising to the challenges brought by their public asset proximity, building on the opportunities created by the confluence of resources, developing conservation leaders, and fostering economic opportunity that will generate lasting health for people and place. Working toward healthy natural and cultural resources, diverse recreation assets, accessibility as a foundation, and revitalized main streets and downtowns, Balancing Nature and Commerce brings new and evolving data, concepts and practices to communities, and enhances capacity and partnership building to facilitate implementation.    

Gateway Communities 

Balancing Nature and Commerce serves gateway communities, and nests within multiple initiatives of The Conservation Fund that boost community prosperity and help build vibrant communities that care for people, places and resources.

Gateway communities are the places where one can see and feel public lands and waters, and the community invests to enable meaningful connections. Resources and assets are connected to community with intentionality, driving positive outcomes. Gateway communities are welcoming and accessible, providing assets and amenities, programming and interpretation, and visitors services that collectively create quality experiences for community members and travelers, bolstering those experiences with marketing, communications, capacity and support.

In gateway communities it is critical to cultivate desired outcomes in place of uncontrolled and negative outcomes through intention, partnership, and adaptation. Significant benefit to the community and travelers can be realized in economic opportunity, education, equity, health, and stewardship of resources through purpose-driven and collaborative action. Successful gateway communities share their stories in authentic and meaningful ways, connecting people to natural resources, history, recreation, arts and culture, and doing so in ways that economically lift towns and regions.

Program Offerings 

Workshops

National and place-based workshops convene community-based teams to focus intensively on the challenges and opportunities of being a gateway community, working through asset identification and action plan development. View our upcoming course page for a national or geography-based workshop or contact us for discussion of a place-based workshop unique to your community or region.

BNC National and Place-Based Workshops

Since 1998, The Conservation Fund has called together communities from across the nation to address challenges and opportunities and build conservation leaders.

For more information:

• BNC National Course Participant Rockbridge, VA
• BNC National Course Participant PA Wilds
• BNC National Course and Place-Based Course Participant Coastal FL & AL
• BNC Place-Based Course Participant Transylvania County NC

Appalachian Gateway Community Initiative

Partnering with the Appalachian Regional Commission and National Endowment for the Arts, The Conservation Fund has convened multiple workshops as the cornerstone of the Appalachian Gateway Community Initiative (AGCI), targeted to gateway communities in the Appalachian Region.

For more information:

• AGCI Program Page
• Appalachian Regional Commission
• AGCI Participant Tracy City TN

Technical Assistance

Through extended, place-based collaborative projects, The Conservation Fund has advanced asset-based initiatives in gateway communities across the nation. Contact us for a discussion of a place-based initiative unique to your community or region.

For more information:

• Zion Regional Recreation Management Plan
• Madison/Boone Resource & Recreation Action Plan

Learn more

Check out all of Our Projects to see the diversity of our Balancing Nature and Commerce Program and how it has helped communities thrive.

OPERATION & MANAGEMENT OF CONSERVATION BANKS: THE ROLE OF MITIGATION REVIEW TEAMS & BANKING PARTNERS

Presented live on December 2, 2020 this webinar provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the mitigation review team (MRT) and other banking partners during the instrument development, implementation, and management phases of a bank. Best practices on how active operations and management can minimize risk and increase the success of banks in meeting all mitigation compliance requirements are shared.

It is recommended that participants view Webinar 1: The Market & Regulatory Drivers for Conservation Banking prior to viewing this webinar.

WEBINAR #4 RECORDING

Presenters:

Charlotte Kucera, US Fish & Wildlife Service (charlotte_kucera@fws.gov)
Valerie Layne, US Army Corps of Engineers Institute of Water Resources (valerie.l.layne@usace.army.mil)
Veronica Rowan, DOI Office of the Solicitor (veronica.rowan@sol.doi.gov)

Webinar Materials:

• Speaker Bios (PDF)
• Kucera: Roles & Responsbilities Presentation (PDF)
• Rowan: Process & Documentation Presentation (PDF)
• Layne: Management & Compliance Presentation (PDF)

Operations & Management Resources:

1. California Multi-Agency Project Delivery Team. Cover Sheet: Mitigation Banking Proposal Procedures & Checklists, September 2010.
2. California Multi-Agency Project Delivery Team. Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Mitigation and Conservation Banking in California, 2011. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. Gardner, Roy and Teresa Radwan, “Corporate Shell Games: LLPs, LLCs & Responsibility for Mitigation Sites” National Wetland Newsletter 31(6): 2009. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. USFWS Sacramento Office. Annual Reporting Checklist, updated. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Oversight & Compliance Resources:

1. Gardner, Royal. “Mitigation banking and reputational risk.” National Wetlands Newsletter. Vol. 34 No. 6. 2012. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. Owley, Jessica. Keeping Track of Conservation. Ecology Law Quarterly, 2015. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Look here for new publications, websites, and tools that are available to assist you in your rural community’s planning and project delivery.

About Town: Building Revenue for Communities
Financial strain can be a burden on local governments, but it can also be a force for change, encouraging officials to streamline operations, reduce waste, and seek reliable ways to build stable revenues while spurring economic growth. This report takes a look at six rural communities in the Rocky Mountain West which recognize the value of downtowns and mixed use centers, which are bringing excellent revenue to these cities and counties.

Archived Webinars from the American Farmland Trust
Food systems planning is an emerging field to support, facilitate and promote local, regional and sustainable agriculture. The American Farmland Trust has put together a series of educational webinars to take a look at systems approaches for county and community-based planning, and state and regional planning to improve and maintain agricultural viability.

Asset-Based Economic Development and Building Sustainable Rural Communities
This series of three ICMA briefing papers showcase how small communities are tackling sustainability and smart growth through asset-based economic development. The first paper defines asset-based economic development and provides several case studies on industry and industrial clusters. The second paper looks as natural resource strengths and working landscapes. The third paper examines historic and cultural resources as well as existing infrastructure such as Main Streets and town squares.

Investment Ready Places: A Field Guide to Community Building in the New American Frontier
The small towns and cities of America are once again becoming the new frontier for development. Investment Ready Places are those communities that are well positioned to respond to retooling. The report lists six characteristics of Investment Ready Places that need to be in place to attract productive investments and steps communities can use to acquire these characteristics.

Economic Profile System-Human Dimensions Tool Kit from Headwaters Economics
The updated Economic Profile System-Human Dimensions Toolkit (EPS-HDT) helps decision makers access and analyze large amounts of information about their community or anywhere in the United States. EPS-HDT was created jointly by Headwaters Economics, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service.

Federal Resources for Sustainable Rural Communities
A guide to programs from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and the USDA that rural communities can use to promote economic competitiveness, protect healthy environments, and enhance quality of life.

Lasting Value: Open Space Planning and Preservation Successes
More than one million acres of forests, farms, and other rural lands are converted to development every year. Can preservation happen? Yes, but its no walk in the park. Lasting Value celebrates the selected cities, towns, and counties that excel at preserving natural areas, farmland, and other types of open space.

Livability Literature Review: A Synthesis of Current Practice
This comprehensive report from the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) describes how livability is understood, provides examples of livable communities in practice and adds clarity to several concepts.

Locally Owned Businesses Can Help Communities Thrive And Survive Climate Change
Cities where small, locally owned businesses account for a relatively large share of the economy have stronger social networks, more engaged citizens, and better success solving problems, according to several recently published studies. And in the face of climate change, those are just the sort of traits that communities most need if they are to survive massive storms, adapt to changing conditions, find new ways of living more lightly on the planet, and, most important, nurture a vigorous citizenship that can drive major changes in policy.

Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability
This book provides a far-reaching follow-up to the pathbreaking Urban Sprawl and Public Health, published in 2004, offering a fresh and comprehensive look at the adverse effects of what we have constructed and the positive benefits of well designed build environments.  Edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard J. Jackson.

Model Design Manual for Living Streets
This manual focuses on all users and all modes, seeking to achieve balanced street design that accommodates cars while ensuring that pedestrians, cyclists and transit users can travel safely and comfortably. This manual also incorporates features to make streets lively, beautiful, economically vibrant as well as environmentally sustainable.

Outdoor Nation Special Report: Technology and Social Media
Outdoor Nation Special Report: Technology and Social Media provides an in-depth analysis of how the Outdoor Nation community of young ‘Outsiders” is interacting with social media and technology. The report gives the youth perspective on ways that technology can both enhance and interfere with outdoor activities. The survey offers youth-driven ideas on how to best combine outdoor experiences, social media and technology.

Promoting Physical Activity through the Shared Use of School & Community Recreational Resources
This brief summarizes research on community access to school sport and recreation facilities outside of school hours, as well as studies that examine the shared use of school facilities and programs with other community groups or agencies. It also describes challenges commonly associated with the shared use of recreational facilities and opportunities for policy-makers at the state and local levels. 

Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities
This report, the result of collaboration between EPA and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), focuses on smart growth strategies that can help guide growth in rural areas while protecting natural and working lands and preserving the rural character of existing communities.

Regional Approaches to Sustainable Development: Linking Economic, Transportation, and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural and Small Metropolitan America
Regional development organizations (RDOs) are designing and implementing strategies to create stronger, more dynamic, more resilient regional economies that are based on quality of place. This report from the National Association of Development Organizations highlights the opportunities available to RDOs to undertake sustainable development initiatives using a systems-based approach.

Rural Communities: Expanding Horizons
Learn more about the great strides that have been made in the last decade to provide more transportation choices for residents of small urban and rural areas. This report highlights the opportunities for continued innovation, public transit investment, and political and community support to provide freedom, independence, and access through public transportation. 

Stewarding the Future of Our Communities
This major research project conducted for the Craig Byrne Fellows Program of the Orton Family Foundation addresses the challenges of stewarding local community engagement and planning–that is, building greater sustainability into citizen-driven, value-based community engagement and planning–in order to ensure its ongoing success and impact. Five exemplary community engagement and planning experiences in small towns and cities around the country are highlighted to provide specific stewardship approaches they have used to carry the success of their efforts far into the future.

Strategic Lessons In Sustainable Community Building–The Groundwork USA Network
A growing number of communities across the country are leveraging greening initiatives  as catalysts for the social and economic regeneration of urban neighborhoods. Urban greening provides underserved neighborhoods with access to green spaces that improve overall quality of life and begin to address long-standing health and economic disparities of its residents.

Supporting Sustainable Rural Communities
This new report helps better coordinate federal programs for sustainable community and smart growth development for rural communities. The report was prepared by the HUD, DOT, and EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities in cooperation with USDA. It presents sample funding mechanisms, technical assistance opportunities, and performance measures rural communities can use, and includes case studies showcasing rural accomplishments.

Three Years of Helping Communities Achieve Their Visions for Growth and Prosperity
This report provides an overview of EPA, HUD, and DOT support to communities seeking to protect the environment, provide more housing choices, and make transportation systems more efficient and reliable.  Case studies include: Bridgeport, CT; Ranson and Charles Town, WV; Montgomery, AL; Cincinnati, OH; Moline, IL; Denver, CO: and Wellpinit, WA.

Vibrant Rural Communities Case Studies Series
The National Association of Development Association’s Vibrant Rural Communities case studies series highlights how rural regions and small towns across the country are growing local and regional economies and creating stronger communities. This series shows how small towns can leverage a wide range of tools and approaches to build on their assets, protect their resources, and make strategic investments that offer long-term benefits for residents and local businesses.

This series of 12 case studies was developed for the Conservation Banking Training, offered annually by The Conservation Fund. These case studies profile approved and operational conservation banks from around the country. Appendices for each case study are available upon request; please contact mcarey@conservationfund.org.

Documents are PDF downloads. 

• Blue Heron Slough Conservation Bank
• Carolina Heelsplitter Conservation Bank
• Fitzgerald Ranch Conservation Bank
• Florida Panther Conservation Bank
• La Paz County ILF Bank
• NOAA Central Valley Fish Bank
• Ohlone Preserve Conservation Bank
• Orchard Creek Conservation Bank
• Oregon DOT Vernal Pool
• Sonoma County/Santa Rosa Plain Conservation Strategy
• Utah Prairie Dog Conservation Bank
• Van Vleck Ranch Mitigation Bank 

The Conservation Leadership Network (CLN) will be strengthening livability capacity in at least four communities (see list below) starting in fall 2013 as part of the Federal Lands Livability Initiative. Through a partnership with the Federal Lands Livability Workgroup, comprised of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Park Service (NPS) and other land management agencies, CLN will assess trends in livability associated with federal public lands and their surrounding gateway communities. This initiative includes a mix of public lands, refuges, forests and parks from a geographic and demographic cross section of the country.

What Is A Gateway Community?

Grand Lake, Colorado, is one of the gateway communities participating in the initiative. Photo by rikdom/Flickr. America’s gateway communities are places adjacent to our public lands  that attract visitors and residents looking for unique recreational and cultural experiences. These communities face unique challenges—such as how to protect the assets that make them special and appealing—and often must work together with their public land partners to overcome these challenges. CLN has worked with gateway communities for more than a decade through its Balancing Nature and Commerce Program. This program has shown time and again that when local government officials, public land managers and community residents have the opportunity to talk about issues related to local land use, economic development and nature-based tourism, they can find a common way forward that fosters community development while also promoting public land and the outdoors.

What Is “Livability”?

The annual Kid’s Fishing Derby at Richard B. Russell Lake in Calhoun, South Carolina. Photo by Army Corps of Engineers/Flickr. The term “livability” refers to the quality and location of transportation facilities in relation to broader opportunities such as access to good jobs, affordable housing, quality schools and safe streets. 

The Six Principles of Livability defined by the U.S. departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency Partnership for Sustainable Communities include: 

1. Provide more transportation choices. 
2. Promote equitable, affordable housing. 
3. Enhance economic competitiveness. 
4. Support existing communities. 
5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment. 
6. Value communities and neighborhoods.

Learn more about Livability >> 

The Initiative: Livability Assessments & Workshops

Weddle Bridge in Sweet Home, Oregon. Photo by Sandy Horvath-Dori/Flickr This fall, members of the CLN team, together with local representatives and a local design team, will visit and conduct a livability assessment in each of the communities selected for the initiative.

Based on this on-the-ground assessment, the team will provide a livability status report to each community. By assessing these diverse gateway communities, the team hopes to draw general conclusions and lessons about how best to create and improve livability standards in these and other gateway communities.  

Once the livability assessment report is provided to the communities, CLN will set up workshops, unique to each community, that will allow residents and local officials to meet with representatives from their neighboring public lands.  “It’s our goal to help communities foster valuable partnerships,” says Kris Hoellen, vice president of sustainable programs for the Fund and CLN director. These workshops aim to help build an action plan based on the evaluation of the community’s key livability factors, which may include the strength of community character, as well as the accessibility to transportation, affordable housing, employment and business opportunities. 

Selected Communities

An interagency selection committee comprised of representatives from the
USFWS, NPS, FHWS, USFS and BLM selected public lands and their gateway
communities to participate in this initiative. These include:
 

Colorado

Community: Grand Lake
Managing Agency: National Park Service
Federal Land: Rocky Mountain National Park
Other Public Lands:  Arapaho National Recreation Area (USFS)/ Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest (USFS)/ BLM lands/ Bureau of Reclamation
Read the full Grand Lake Gateway Community Livability Assessment Report (PDF) 

Michigan

Community: Spaulding and James townships, Saginaw City
Managing Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Federal Land: Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge
Other Public Lands:  Green Point Environmental Learning Center (USFWS)/ Shiawassee River State Game Area (MIDNR)/ Saginaw Township public boat launch/ Saginaw Valley Rail Trail (Saginaw County)
Read the full Saginaw and Surrounding Townships Gateway Community Livability Assessment Report (PDF)

Oregon

Community: Sweet Home
Managing Agency: U.S. Forest Service
Federal Land: Willamette National Forest
Other Public Lands:  Foster Reservoir (USACE)/ Green Peter Reservoir (USACE)/ BLM lands/ Cascadia State Park/ Sunnyside County Park/ Riverbend Campground/ Sweet Home City Parks (7)
Read the full Sweet Home Gateway Community Livability Assessment Report (PDF)

South Carolina

Community: Calhoun Falls
Managing Agency: Army Corps of Engineers
Federal Land: Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake Project
Other Public Lands:  Parsons Mountain Recreation Area (USFS)/ Hartwell Project (USACE)/ J. Strom Thurmond Project (USACE)/ SCDNR, SCDPRT Lands
Read the full Calhoun Falls Gateway Community Livability Assessment Report (PDF)

Conservation (Species) Banking

As a component of the annually-offered Conservation Banking Training course, we developed a series of twelve case studies.

Resources for the 8-part webinar series being offered from October 2020 – January 2021 can be found here. This series is designed to provide an introduction to foundational topics related to conservation banking for endangered species and habitat recovery, as well as joint authority programs that mitigate for impacts to wetlands and streams.

Third Party Wetland and Stream Mitigation Banking

Complementary to the annually-offered 3rd Party Mitigation Interagency Review Team (IRT) Training course, presentations and resources associated with the course are available.

The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Leadership Network works with communities across the country to provide assessments of an area’s natural, cultural and historic assets and evaluate opportunities to sustainably develop these assets predicated on livability principles.

Sustainable Tourism Assessments

As part of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) program, The Appalachian Gateway Initiative: Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism Development, The Conservation Fund and The National Trust for Historic Preservation were retained to assist communities in enhancing natural, recreational, arts and historic assets in order to create sustainable tourism programs.  Since 2007, this program has conducted six assessments and developed recommendations reports for each.  See a few of these reports below:

• Assessment & Recommendations Report for Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism Development in Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area (Alabama) (PDF)
• Assessment & Recommendations Report for Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism Development in Haysi (Virginia) (PDF)
• Assessment & Recommendations Report for Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism Development in Calhoun County (Alabama) (PDF)

Other Sustainable Tourism Intiatives:

The Conservation Fund worked specifically with the community of Unicoi, Tennessee to help them achieve a vibrant community by enhancing their natural, recreational, cultural and historic assets.  As a result, The Conservation Fund developed a Sustainable Tourism Initiative for the county that provides a recommendation report for implementation of a sustainable tourism plan.

Read the Sustainable Tourism Initiative here >> (PDF)

Livability Assessments

The Conservation Leadership Network will be strengthening livability capacity in five communities starting in 2013.  Through a partnership with the Federal Lands Livability Workgroup comprised of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Park Service (NPS) and other land management agencies, we will assess trends in livability associated with federal lands and their surrounding gateway communities, including identifying transferable lessons learned, and providing specific recommendations/action plans for moving forward. The initiative expects to include a broad mix of public lands, refuges, forests, and parks, from a geographic and demographic cross-section of the country.

Read more about Livability and this initiative here >>

Read the full Grand Lake Gateway Community Livability Assessment Report (PDF) here >>

Teaching Kids About Carbon, Farming & The Environment

Download Available!

Download Moving Freight: Economy and Atmosphere school curriculum. (PDF)
Suitable for Grades 3-12.

Graphic by JS Design StudioIn 2012, The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Leadership Network partnered with the international transportation company CSX to sponsor the creation of Moving Freight: Economy and Atmosphere, a curriculum unit to educate school-age students that the train tracks they drive over and the trucks they pass on the highway are connected to a world-wide web of industry, culture, commerce and environmental impact.

The curriculum is designed to provide four activities that build with increasing complexity—or provide the option to be used as stand-alone modules—to help meet curricular goals in mathematics, economics and science.  Students from grades 3-12 will compare and contrast the efficiency of freight transportation in ships, trains, trucks, and airplanes using real-world examples and explore tools and resources on the internet.  Students will also discover the carbon cycle and the impacts of burning fossil fuels on the environment coupled with a comparison of calculated carbon footprints of freight transportation modes.

Additionally, CSX partners with many youth organizations including Future Farmers of America (FFA), a national organization preparing future generations to meet the challenges of the science, business, and art of agriculture.  For agriculture education with the FFA and school programs across the nation, we also developed an activity that investigates the carbon footprint of transporting the raw agricultural materials from farms to processing factories and finally to each student.  This activity demonstrates how raw goods comprise many of our everyday products and that the transportation of each of these materials emits carbon dioxide which adds to the impact of greenhouse gases. That impact reinforces the importance of efficient fuel consumption.

The Conservation Fund recognizes the shared values that CSX is striving to support through their National Gateway program: their desire to educate states and communities to efficiently and economically create safer, less congested roadways, bolster environmental health, and promote economic growth.  The Fund works on the ground across the country to help partners like CSX fulfill their conservation priorities through creative initiatives such as this in order to protect and enhance landscapes where Americans work, play, and rediscover history.

Below are course offerings organized by Training Tracks. To see list of courses currently scheduled, go to Upcoming Courses.

Green Infrastructure:

*regional offering available upon request!

• GI 101: Strategic Conservation Planning Using a Green Infrastructure Approach
• GI 201: Implementing Green Infrastructure at Multiple Scales
• Green Infrastructure and Municipal Water Management
• Planning for Climate Change Using Green Infrastructure
• GIS Tools for Strategic Conservation Planning

Rural Economic Development:

*regional offering available upon request!

• Balancing Nature and Commerce in Rural Communities and Landscapes
• Compatible Land Use Planning for Military Installations
• Broadcast: How to Start a Sustainable Tourism Program
• Broadcast: Keys to Success in Gateway Communities

Compensatory Mitigation Banking:

*regional offering available upon request!

• Training Course for Wetland & Stream Mitigation Banking & In-Lieu Program Inter-agency Review Teams (IRTs)
• Conservation (Species) Banking Training Course

SERVICE AREA & CREDIT DETERMINATION: BALANCING ECOLOGICAL & ECONOMIC FACTORS

Presented live on December 8, 2020, this webinar provides a nuts and bolts review of how the type and number of credits are determined for a conservation bank and how the extent of the service area is determined. For each topic, case studies ranging from the straight-forward to the complicated are shared, along with lessons-learned and emerging trends from the field. Striking the balance between ecological and economic needs is discussed from diverse perspectives. 

It is recommended that participants view Webinar 1: The Market & Regulatory Drivers for Conservation Banking prior to viewing this webinar.

Webinar #5 Recording

Presenters

Scott Chiavacci, US Geological Survey (schiavacci@usgs.gov)
Greg DeYoung, Westervelt Ecological Services (gdeyoung@westervelt.com)
Stephanie Ehinger, NOAA National Marine Fisheries (stephanie.ehinger@noaa.gov)
Dana Herman, US Fish & Wildlife Service (dana_herman@fws.gov)
Michelle Mattson, US Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources (michelle.l.mattson@usace.army.mil)
Deblyn Mead, Bureau of Land Management (dMead@blm.gov)

Webinar Materials:

• Speaker Bios (PDF)

Service Area Determination Presentations:

• Mattson: USACE Approach (PDF)
• Herman: USFWS Approach (PDF)

Credit Determination Presentations:

• Mead: Overview (PDF)
• DeYoung: Westervelt Case Studies (PDF)
• Ehinger: NMFS Case Studies (PDF)
• Chiavacci: USGS Quantification Tools (PDF)

Service Area Resources:

1. Amato, Brumbaugh, DeYoung, et. al. “Service area discussion.” National Wetlands Newsletter. Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 9-17. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. Denisoff. Reconciling Watersheds and Ecoregions: What’s in a Number? National Wetlands Newsletter 33(1), 2011. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. Womble, P. and M. Doyle. The Geography of Trading Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of Wetland and Stream Compensatory Mitigation Markets. Harvard Env. Law Review. 36:229-296 + app. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Credit Determination Resources:

1. Chiavacci, Scott F. and Emily Pindilli. A Database of Biodiversity and Habitat Quantification Tools Used in Market-Based Conservation. USGS Science and Decisions Center and USDA Office of Environmental Markets Fact Sheet. July 2018. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. Chiavacci, Scott F. and Emily Pindilli. Trends in Biodiversity and Habitat Quantification Tools Used for Market-Based Conservation in the United States. Conservation Biology, February 2020. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. NOAA Damage Assessment and Restoration Program. Habitat Equivalency Analysis: An Overview, May 2006. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. Pindilli, Emily and Frank Casey. Biodiversity and Habitat Markets – Policy, Economic and Ecological Implications of Market-Based Conservation. USGS Circular 1414, 2015. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
5. Willamette Partnership. Measuring Up: Synchronizing Biodiversity Measurement Systems for Markets and Other Incentive Programs. Report to USDA, 2011. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
6. Zambello, Erika, Lydia Olander, Emma Glidden-Lyon, Emily Meza, and Jessica Wilkinson. “Trends in Measuring Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Mitigation Quantification Methodologies.” NI-WP 19-01. Durham, NC: Duke University, 2018. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Web Resources:

• NOAA NMFS Puget Sound Nearshore Habitat Conservation Calculator https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/habitat-conservation/puget-sound-nearshore-habitat-conservation-calculator
• Nevada Conservation Credit System (sage-grouse) http://sagebrusheco.nv.gov/CCS/ConservationCreditSystem/
• USACE RIBITS https://ribits.ops.usace.army.mil/ *after selecting the banks in RIBITS for the examples in this session, open the “Cyber Repository” to find documents for the crediting metrics
• USGS Database of Biodiversity and Habitat Quantification Tools Used for Market-based Conservation in the United States https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/5aa94672e4b0b1c392f14b17
• Willamette Partnership Ecosystem Credit Accounting System http://willamettepartnership.org/market-tools-rules/

LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT & STEWARDSHIP: ROLES & REQUIREMENTS FOR A CONSERVATION BANK AFTER IT CLOSES

Presented live on January 13, 2021, this webinar discusses the roles and responsibilities of bank sponsors and long-term stewards in developing and implementing management plans and the stewardship funding mechanism(s) needed to ensure continued mitigation compliance. Topics include cost analysis of long-term management practices, adaptive management, and key needs of the third-party land steward to adequately fund management activities in perpetuity.

It is recommended that participants view Webinar 1: The Market & Regulatory Drivers for Conservation Banking prior to viewing this webinar. 

Webinar #6 Recording

Presenters:

Matt Gause, Westervelt Ecological Services (mgause@westervelt.com)
Clint Miller, The Conservation Fund (cmiller@conservationfund.org)

Webinar Materials:

• Speaker Bios (PDF)
• Matt Gause Presentation (PDF)
• Clint Miller Presentation (PDF)

Long-Term Management Resources:

1. DeYoung, Greg and Steve Moore. 2016. Long-Term Stewardship Funding and Mitigation Industry Sustainability. National Wetlands Newsletter. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. Franklin, Helinski, Manale: “Using Adaptive Management to Meet Conservation Goals” Sept. 2007. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. Lyons, Runge, Laskowski, Kendall: “Monitoring in the Context of Structured Decision-Making and Adaptive Management,” 2008. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. Miller. “Climate Change and Adaptive Management: The intersection of dynamic natural and anthropogenic processes with the practical needs of conservation management,” September 2008. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
5. Rist, L., A. Felton, L. Samuelsson, C. Sandström, and O. Rosvall. A new paradigm for adaptive management. Ecology and Society, 2013. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
6. Salafsky, Margoluis, Redford: “Adaptive Management: A Tool for Conservation Practitioners” 2001. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
7. USFWS. Writing Refuge Management Goals and Objectives: A Handbook. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Web Resources:

• Land Trust Accreditation Commission https://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/index.php
• Land Trust Alliance https://www.landtrustalliance.org/
• Land Trust Alliance: Find a Land Trust https://www.landtrustalliance.org/find-land-trust
• Land Trust Standards and Practices https://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and-resources/requirements-manual

Long-Term Stewardship Financing Resources:

1. DiCintio, Tim. “Notes on Funding Approaches for Long-Term Property Management”. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. Teresa, Sherry. “The Demise of the Environmental Trust,” 2006. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. Teresa, Sherry. “Perpetual Stewardship Considerations for Compensatory Mitigation and Mitigation Banks.” Stetson Law Review Vol. 38, 2009. [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The Long-Term Stewardship Calculator Accompanying Handbook. 2016. [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Web Resources:

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) https://www.nfwf.org

Alternatives to Conservation Banking (Part I) – Emerging Applications of Multiple Authority Mitigation

Presented live on January 27, 2021, this webinar -- the first of a two-part mini-series on alternative compensatory mitigation tools -- features a survey of emerging applications of multiple authority mitigation to support the recovery of species and habitats in new and exciting ways. 

It is recommended that participants view Webinar 1: The Market & Regulatory Drivers for Conservation Banking prior to viewing this webinar.

WEBINAR #7 Recording:

Presenters:

Megan Callahan Grant, NOAA Restoration Center (megan.callahan-grant@noaa.gov)
Shauna Everett, US Fish & Wildlife Service (shauna_everett@fws.gov)
Deblyn Mead, Bureau of Land Management (dMead@blm.gov)

WEBINAR MATERIALS:

• Speaker Bios (PDF)
• Shauna Everett Presentation (PDF)
• Deblyn Mead Presentation (PDF)
• Megan Callahan Grant Presentation (PDF)

RESOURCE MATERIALS:

1. American Forest Foundation. “Voluntary Gopher Tortoise Habitat Crediting System” Fact Sheet [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Web Resources:

• Linnton Mill Restoration Project: https://www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/news/linnton-mill-restoration-project
• Monarch Butterfly Habitat Exchange Program http://www.monarchhabitatexchange.org/
• Montana Sage-Grouse Mitigation Program https://sagegrouse.mt.gov/Team
• Nevada Conservation Credit System (sage-grouse): http://sagebrusheco.nv.gov/CCS/ConservationCreditSystem/
• PennDOT Volunteer Prelisting Pollinator Conservation Program: https://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/RoadDesignEnvironment/Environment/environmental-policy/Pages/Prelisting-Pollinator-Conservation-Program.aspx
• Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council’s website: https://www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/
• Portland Harbor Restoration Planning: https://www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/restoration
• Portland Harbor Final Restoration Plan and PEIS: https://www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/sites/default/files/2018-12/201706_FINAL_PEIS.pdf
• Portland Harbor Draft Supplemental Restoration Plan: https://www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/news/draft-supplemental-restoration-plan-available-comment
• REPI Program Webinars https://www.repi.mil/Resources/Webinars.aspx
• USACE RIBITS https://ribits.ops.usace.army.mil/
• Wyoming Sage-Grouse Mitigation Program https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Habitat/Sage-Grouse-Management

Alternatives to Conservation Banking (Part II) – Programmatic Approaches To Mitigation

Presented live on February 4, 2021, this webinar -- second of a two-part mini-series on alternative compensatory mitigation tools -- includes an in-depth look at programmatic approaches such as In-Lieu Fee (ILF) programs and how they are different than banks and when to use them. The session looks at examples from across the country and discusses key lessons learned.

It is recommended that participants view Webinar 1: The Market & Regulatory Drivers for Conservation Banking prior to viewing this webinar.

WEBINAR #8 Recording:

Presenters:

Shauna Everett, US Fish & Wildlife Service (shauna_everett@fws.gov)
Jennifer Oelke Farley, US DOD Naval Facilities Engineering Command (jennifer.oelkefarley@navy.mil)
Jeff Phillips, US Fish & Wildlife Service (jeff_phillips@fws.gov)
Heather Richards, The Conservation Fund (hrichards@conservationfund.org)

WEBINAR MATERIALS: 

• Speaker Bios (PDF)
• Intro Presentation - Everett (PDF)
  
• ILF Overview Presentation - Phillips (PDF) *includes hidden slides
• I-Bat ILF Case Study Presentation - Richards (PDF)
• Cooperative Conservation Approaches Presentation - Oelke Farley (PDF)

RESOURCE MATERIALS:

1. Doyle, M. W. Financial and environmental risks of in-lieu fee programs for compensatory mitigation. NI Report 19-1. Durham, NC. Duke University, 2019 [DOWNLOAD PDF]
2. ELI and Stetson Law. ILF Mitigation: Review of Program Instruments and Implementation Across the Country. 2019 [DOWNLOAD PDF]
3. Stephenson, K. and B. Tutko. 2016. The role of In-Lieu Fee programs in providing off-site compensatory mitigation. Final Report for Office of Environmental Markets, USDA. 32 pp [DOWNLOAD PDF]
4. USFWS. Range Wide IBAT and Northern Long-eared Bat ILF Revised User Guide 2019 [DOWNLOAD PDF]
5. USFWS Northeast Region. Better Conservation More Efficiently: A Guide for Federal Agency Compliance with Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act. January 2018 [DOWNLOAD PDF]
6. USFWS Southeast Region. Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(1) Southeast Region Implementation Framework: Promoting Conservation through Interagency Cooperation. March 2018 [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Web Resources:

• DOD REPI Program: https://www.repi.mil/
• Eagle ILF https://www.eaglemitigation.com/
• Kentucky Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund https://knlt.org/ibcf
• Maine Atlantic Salmon Conservation and Restoration Program https://www.maine.gov/dmr/science-research/searun/programs/ilfprogram.html
• The Conservation Fund Range Wide Indiana Bat ILF Program: https://www.conservationfund.org/projects/range-wide-indiana-bat-in-lieu-fee-program

Driving a Bigger Commitment to Environment and Community

Challenges

• Give back to a region where around 3,800 Volkswagen employees live, work and play.
• Be a good neighbor in a community that is a home for Volkswagen and plans to be well into the future as Chattanooga becomes the company’s North American base for manufacturing electric vehicles.
  
  
  

Cherokee National Forest. Photo by VW.

Solutions

In 2019, Volkswagen and The Conservation Fund launched an initiative to help protect land adjacent to the Cherokee National Forest, located near Volkswagen’s facility in Chattanooga. Through a donation from Volkswagen, The Conservation Fund will acquire approximately 1,500 acres that will then be transferred to the U.S. Forest Service, which manages Cherokee National Forest, for permanent protection.


Photo by VW

The Conservation Fund has worked with government agencies, nonprofits and businesses large and small to help protect more than 300,000 acres in Tennessee and help build greener cities and economies. Our decades of experience in the state made us a natural partner to help Volkswagen achieve its goals.

In addition to supporting land conservation, Volkswagen’s sponsorship will enable The Conservation Fund to create a community grant program to support nonprofits, schools and public agencies working in eastern Tennessee to help improve water quality, increase access to outdoor recreation, and advance environmental education. Working together with Volkswagen, The Conservation Fund will administer and manage a grant program, with support from the Tennessee Valley Authority that will deliver measurable and lasting benefits to Tennessee’s natural resources. The Tennessee Valley Authority, having been a steward of natural resources in Tennessee since 1933, welcomes the opportunity to engage with Volkswagen and The Conservation Fund on this endeavor. The first round of grants was awarded in 2020. 

"We are enthused about our partnership with Volkswagen and the opportunity to advance their commitment to corporate leadership around sustainability. Volkswagen is taking real, measurable steps forward to protect the environment, embrace sustainable business practices and support the communities in which they work."

                                                                                                       

Results

The 650,000-acre Cherokee National Forest stretches the length of eastern Tennessee’s border, with lands north and south of the Greater Smoky Mountain National Park. The forest is home to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and other whitewater and wilderness areas. The land added by The Conservation Fund and Volkswagen at Cherokee National Forest will enhance efforts to help improve water quality, access to public recreation, environmental education, and habitat for the black bear and the endangered Indiana bat.

Five charitable organizations located in eastern Tennessee received grants of up to $50,000 to advance efforts that will provide environmental learning and leadership opportunities for local youth, help keep rivers and waterways within the Cherokee National Forest clean and provide current recreational access information for outdoor lovers in the region.

“Our work with The Conservation Fund will help strengthen the environment and help us give back to a community where more than 3,800 of our colleagues live. This collaboration in our own backyard underscores our ‘Drive Bigger’ goal of pursuing ideas bigger than ourselves and then taking action. We feel a responsibility to show how a major automaker can credibly contribute to the greater good”

Cherokee National Forest. Photo by VW.

Looking Forward

Tennessee is just the start. Volkswagen and The Conservation Fund are committed to protecting natural resources and developing community programs that benefits Volkswagen’s customers, dealers and employees.

Investing in Diverse Communities

Challenges

• Reach diverse communities and disadvantaged business owners across the country.
• Provide support that yields social, economic and environmental benefits.

Solutions in North Carolina

Through its Wells Fargo Works for Small Business: Diverse Community Capital (DCC) program, aimed at serving diverse-owned small businesses, Wells Fargo $2.1 million in loan and grant funds to the Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF), an affiliate of The Conservation Fund that provides lending and advisory services to locally-owned green enterprises in disadvantaged communities in Central Appalachia and the Southeast. Funding from Wells Fargo will help African-American farmers and small business owners increase access to financial resources, diversify their enterprises and build greater financial stability, resulting in stronger local communities and the responsible use of natural resources.

“NCIF recognizes that the growth and success of diverse businesses focused on triple bottom line results is good for communities, our economy and the environment. We're thrilled to be recognized by and partner with Wells Fargo to grow the next generation of African-American and minority entrepreneurs.”

                                                                                                       

Results in North Carolina

The Wells Fargo DCC program will help people like James Joyner of Faison, North Carolina, a disabled African-American U.S. Army veteran who transformed his family farm from a labor of love to a profitable enterprise. NCIF helped him develop financial projections for his business and connected him with an innovative North Carolina company that enables him to graze his herd of sheep on solar farms and helps market his lamb. NCIF'S loan helped Joyner expand his herd, upgrade pastures and fencing, and build a lambing shed. Today, Joyner’s farm is profitable, and he sells his grass-fed, antibiotic-free lamb to a well-known national organic and natural foods grocery chain.

“Wells Fargo is proud to support NCIF and the work they are doing. Investing in our communities is one of the most important things we can do as a company and directly connects with our vision and values. At Wells Fargo, we believe that we’re responsible for promoting the long-term economic prosperity and quality of life for everyone in our communities. If they prosper, so do we.”

The Roger Outlaw farm is funded by the ShadeFund – a project of the The Conservation Fund’s Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF). In May 2016, Wells Fargo provided $1.6 million to NCIF.  As a result, we will expand access to lending and business advisory services for African American farmers and small business owners, primarily in Eastern North Carolina. 

Solutions in Alaska

In Alaska, Wells Fargo and The Conservation Fund collaborated to support Native communities. Here, Wells Fargo donated 143 acres of culturally and historically significant land adjacent to the Native Village of Eklutna to the Fund for permanent preservation. The donation was part of Wells Fargo’s Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program.

“This land is the centerpiece of an ongoing effort to protect and restore the lands and waters of great cultural and environmental value to the Eklutna people. We are pleased to work with Wells Fargo and Eklutna, Inc., and we applaud the corporate leadership and community appreciation for this wonderful and important conservation accomplishment.”

Results in Alaska

Approximately 25 miles northeast of Anchorage, the land donated by Wells Fargo preserves the way of life of Native people. Situated in the heart of Dena’ina Athabascan country where Alaska Native people have lived for thousands of years, this culturally and historically significant land remains a place for traditional subsistence activities such as hunting, fishing, and berry picking. Hills on the property are also revered as sacred grounds where ancestors’ ashes are spread, and a unique granite formation on the land was the inspiration for the Native village’s name. Its permanent preservation honors the legacy of the Native people and helps future generations cultivate a connection to the land and their ancestral identity.

“When we got the word…we were thrilled and filled with such emotion that it took several days for the news to sink in. We are grateful for the vision and respect shown by Wells Fargo toward the Dena’ina people.”

 

The Native Village of Eklutna is situated 25 miles northeast of Anchorage, AK and lies in the heart of Dena’ina Athabascan country. Alaska Native people have lived in Eklutna for thousands of years and the local hills are revered as sacred grounds where their ancestors’ ashes are spread. Wells Fargo donated 143 acres of land adjacent to the Native Village of Eklutna to The Conservation Fund for permanent land and habitat preservation. 

Looking Forward

From remote tribal lands in Alaska to rural farms in Appalachia, our long-standing relationship with Wells Fargo advances conservation at the local level for a greater impact. We will continue to help Wells Fargo find new ways to invest in diverse communities that pay big dividends for our society, our economy and our environment.

            

Going the Extra Mile for Environmental Stewardship 

For some infrastructure projects, it’s not always enough to minimize the impact of new roads or pipelines. Williams, a leading operator of pipeline infrastructure in the U.S., recognized its Atlantic Sunrise project in Pennsylvania would have a big impact, so it set out to exceed expectations. That’s when Williams turned to The Conservation Fund to develop an environmental stewardship program for its Transco pipeline that will enable the company to identify, rank and support measurable and lasting projects important to wildlife and communities across the Atlantic Sunrise project area in Pennsylvania. The Atlantic Sunrise Environmental Stewardship program is purely voluntary and is in addition to any mitigation or compensatory steps that would be required of Williams to offset potential impacts from its pipeline.

Challenges

• Go above and beyond compensatory mitigation requirements to advance conservation and benefit local communities.
• Develop a transparent, science-based process to evaluate and select stewardship projects that maximize benefits for the business, community and natural resources.
• Convene and energize stakeholders along the pipeline route to identify shared priorities and implement the best potential projects.

Solutions

The Conservation Fund designed a turnkey environmental stewardship program for Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise project, an expansion of its Transco pipeline system, which currently transports about 10 percent of the nation’s natural gas.

The Fund first worked with Williams to identify community stakeholders in eight Pennsylvania counties impacted by the pipeline expansion, develop criteria for conservation projects, create an appropriate program budget and map natural resources and community assets with geographic information systems (GIS) technology.

Next, the Fund convened community focus groups with more than 100 stakeholders that identified hundreds of environmental stewardship opportunities. Working closely with Williams, and with feedback from the community, The Conservation Fund applied its optimization modeling tool, which takes raw data about each project’s conservation attributes, as well as the criteria set forth by Williams, and uses a scientific algorithm to calculate the best projects for the company, the communities, and the environment.

“We designed the Williams Environmental Stewardship Program with the intent for it to be an exemplary model that recognizes the importance of working in a collaborative way to go above and beyond legally required mitigation to invest in high value community projects.”

Results

Williams has pioneered the environmental stewardship approach to the planning and development of linear infrastructure projects. Williams invested more than $2.5 million in 18 projects that focus on stream restoration, nutrient reduction and recreational trails in Pennsylvania communities. Collectively, these projects will result in: 10 miles of stream frontage restored; 30 acres of riparian area restored; 8 miles of new recreational trails installed; benefits to 200,000 annual trail users; and 925 tons of manure stored annually, preventing harmful nutrients from entering waterways.

“We believe that a project as unique and far-reaching as Atlantic Sunrise requires an equally unique and significant demonstration of our willingness to step up and not only protect, but also enhance the natural resources in the project area.”

Thanks to support from William’s Company restoration activities at Camp Snyder in PA are improving habitat for brook trout. Photo by USFWS.

Looking Forward

Through this collaboration, the partners have developed a model for future infrastructure investment projects that proactively maximize environmental and community benefit. After the success of this pilot program, the partnership will continue to look for additional stewardship opportunities.