SPECIES CONSERVATION IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

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Jan 13, 2023, 18:39 ET

MERCED COUNTY, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Westervelt Ecological Services (WES) has received state and federal approval of the Piedra Azul Conservation Bank (PACB) located near Los Banos, California. The 2,418 acre bank conserves high-quality habitat for a variety of San Joaquin Valley species. The highly-anticipated project will provide compensatory mitigation credits to assist purchasers in meeting US fish and State and Federal Endangered Species Act permit requirements. While credits are available now, a majority of the California tiger salamander upland, San Joaquin kit fox, and Swainson's hawk foraging habitat credits have been allocated to permitted infrastructure projects.

PACB preserves critical rangeland habitat that supports California tiger salamanders, California red-legged frogs, San Joaquin Kit foxes, Swainson's Hawks, and burrowing owls, along with a number of other non-listed species that have similar habitat requirements. "WES is proud to partner with the Grissom family to conserve such a large, functioning ecosystem for a broad suite of native species," says WES Western Region Director, Hal Holland.

Environmental regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, must approve a conservation bank in the State of California before credits can be sold. Conservation banks provide enhanced environmental benefit over smaller, piece-meal mitigation and retain inherent biological, financial and legal assurances to ensure ecological project success. Economic advantages recognized by public and private sector developers include economies of scale, reduced permitting time and costs, and severance of liability.

To learn more about the site and the credits available, contact Amanda Dwyer at (925) 783-9924 or email [email protected].

About Westervelt Ecological Services: Providing conservation on a landscape scale is the mission of Westervelt Ecological Services. A division of The Westervelt Company, a 137 year-old land stewardship company based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Westervelt Ecological Services offers mitigation banking solutions for developers and businesses who need to mitigate impacts to wetlands or species across the country. To learn more visit www.wesmitigation.com.