ABSTRACT
Conservation banking is an innovative and creative tool to assist in global conservation efforts to protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats in perpetuity. In order for conservation banks to successfully and perpetually compensate for losses of species, there needs to be concise and clear-cut agreement between the banker, permitting agencies and long-term steward regarding the development, financing, credit release schedule, operation, the long-term management and the funding source of the bank. Conducting a thorough due diligence is the first step for a banker and bank steward to ensure the maximum opportunity for success. Conservation banks, by their very nature, are lands set aside for the permanent protection of native species and their habitats. The intergenerational protection of land can most effectively be accomplished through the use of conservation easements.
