‘This work will undoubtedly be viewed as "the sourcebook" for any stakeholder involved with conservation banking.’
George Kelly, Director of Business Development and Founder, Environmental Banc and Exchange, LLC

'This is the most comprehensive, practical book on the market for conservation banking.'
James Salzman, Nicholas Institute Professor of Environmental Policy and Mordecai Professor of Law, Duke University

‘An excellent primer.'
Steve Morgan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Wildlands Inc.

The conservation of biodiversity is now big business. Whether called conservation banking, species banking, habitat banking, biodiversity banking, biodiversity offsets, compensatory mitigation or ecological footprint offsetting, the idea of financially valuing biodiversity and using the market and businesses to promote conservation is growing rapidly.

This handbook is a comprehensive guide to conservation banking, explaining what it is and how it works. Written by leading ecosystem market experts, the book provides practical guidance, tools, case studies, analysis and insights into conservation banking and other market-based approaches to conservation. Coverage includes the origins of conservation banking, the pros and cons for conservation, how conservation banking works in reality, the legal, practical and financial aspects of setting up and running a conservation bank and how 'biodiversity off-sets' can be internationalized.

About the author(s)

Nathaniel Carroll is the Project Manager of the Ecosystem Marketplace, the world’s leading ecosystem and environmental markets information source. Jessica Fox is a Senior Scientist and Manager of the Eco-asset program at EPRI Solutions in Palo Alto, California, USA. Ricardo Bayon is the Director of the Ecosystem Marketplace and co-editor of Voluntary Carbon Markets (2007).

Contents

Forewords by Tom Albanese and Stephanie Meeks * Part I: Overview * Introduction * History and Theory: The Origin and Evolution of Conservation Banking * The Advantages and Opportunities * The Pitfalls and Challenges * Part II: Establishing A Conservation Bank * Ecological Considerations * Legal Considerations * Regulatory Considerations * Business Considerations * Financial Considerations * Part III: State of the Art * Fish Banking * Getting Two for One: Opportunities and Challenges in Credit Stacking * The Marine Leap: Conservation Banking and the Brave New World * Part IV: Going Global * Biodiversity Offsets * Australia’s Biodiversity Credits * Part V: Conclusion * The Future of Biodiversity Offset Banking * Index