Candidate Conservation | Overview
The Candidate Conservation Program uniquely bridges the non-regulatory and regulatory approaches to species conservation. Two key elements:
- Conducting assessments to identify species most in need of the ESA's protection and the activities that threaten them; and
- Working through partnerships to conserve these species by improving habitat and removing threats.
Species Assessments
We identify candidates for listing and provide conservation recommendations that can remove or reduce threats so that listing becomes unnecessary. This process:
- Emphasizes coordination with States and other partners to obtain the best available information on species status and recommendations for conservation; and
- Provides the foundation for planning and implementing voluntary conservation efforts that are most likely to be effective in improving the status of the species.
Cooperative Conservation
Through a broad suite of public and private partners, we provide technical assistance and leverage funding for conservation of candidate and other at-risk species. Our program:
- Provides information to guide strategic approaches to ensure voluntary efforts occur where they are most needed and most likely to be effective in making listing unnecessary;
- Facilitates development and implementation of Candidate Conservation Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances; and
- Leverages resources by facilitating funding for landowners to engage in voluntary conservation (e.g. through various FWS grants and agreements, Farm Bill programs, DOD programs).
Learn more about the entire candidate conservation process.
Read our fact sheet on Candidate Species.
Read our fact sheet on Candidate Conservation Agreements.
View a list of all current candidate species.
View the Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), a summarized assessment of individual species, for the most recent year or years past.
Read the Service's policies regarding candidate conservation.
Find out how you can help conserve species.
Read about candidates in the news.
Species
What We Do
For Landowners
- Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)
- Safe Harbor Agreements
- Candidate Conservation Agreements
- Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances
- Recovery Credits and Tax Deductions
- Conservation Banking
- Conservation Plans Database
- Information, Planning and Conservation System (IPaC)
- Recovery Online Activity Reporting System (ROAR)
Permits
Grants
News
- News Stories
- Featured Species
- Recovery Success Stories
- Endangered Species Bulletin
- Partnership Stories