Habitat Conservation Plans | Overview
Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Important habitat for the Mojave population of the desert tortoise is the focus of a Habitat Conservation Plan in southwestern Utah.
Photo credit: Chris Rondeau/USFWS
Why should we save endangered species? Congress answered this question in the introduction to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), recognizing that endangered and threatened species of wildlife and plants "are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people."
After this finding, Congress said that the purposes of the ESA are "...to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved [and] to provide a program for the conservation of such ... species ..." Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA provide for partnerships with non-federal parties to conserve the ecosystems upon which listed species depend, ultimately contributing to their recovery.
HCPs are planning documents required as part of an application for an incidental take permit. They describe the anticipated effects of the proposed taking; how those impacts will be minimized, or mitigated; and how the HCP is to be funded. HCPs can apply to both listed and nonlisted species, including those that are candidates or have been proposed for listing. Conserving species before they are in danger of extinction or are likely to become so can also provide early benefits and prevent the need for listing.
For all the details, download the Habitat Conservation Plans fact sheet. [179KB]
Learn more about HCPs and related topics.
Access the full library of documents related to HCPs.
Read the Service's policies regarding HCPs.
Landowners can contact the Service and take the next steps toward developing an HCP.
View the revised Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook (December 2016).
Access the HCP Handbook toolbox.
Find answers to frequently asked questions [163KB] regarding the revised handbook.