AEC conserves our natural resources by engaging the present to achieve sustainable ranges, training areas and other land assets.  AEC works with installations to develop, implement and maintain programs for the conservation, utilization and rehabilitation of natural resources on 13.6 million acres, spread across 152 installations, with 12,563 operational ranges, 1.1 million acres of forest and 1.3 million acres of wetlands. This includes responsibility for protecting 184 endangered species on 79 installations, as well as 68 candidate species on 44 installations identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which could impact Army missions.

AEC helps quantify environmental encroachment vulnerabilities and assesses the use of external buffer zones to enhance testing and training capabilities protecting more than 200,000 acres from incompatible development at 28 installations through Army Compatible Use Buffer program partnerships.  AEC also helps centrally manage the Conservation Reimbursable Forestry, Agricultural/Grazing Outlease and Fish and Wildlife conservation programs, which provide ecosystem level management that supports and enhances the land's ability to support each installation's respective military missionscape. Finally,  the Integrated Pest Management Program helps sustain infrastructure used for training, working and living by providing professional guidance to reduce or eliminate impact from all plant, insect, fungus and vertebrate pests on Soldiers and their families. 

The Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, pictured here, has made a comeback from the verge of extinction thanks to protection efforts put in place by the Army.