Mission

Mission, Goals & History

Further the use, effectiveness of and support for large scale Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) as local solutions to facilitate economic development and the conservation of threatened and endangered species and their habitats.

Mission, Goals & History

Further the use, effectiveness of and support for landscape-scale, regional Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) as local solutions to facilitate economic development and the conservation of threatened and endangered species and their habitats.

Goals

Promote the effective use of large-scale HCPs from jurisdictional to regional to multi-state scale plans.

Increase understanding of the value of HCPs, including their role in achieving landscape-level species conservation goals.

Reduce the need to list species as endangered or threatened through proactive conservation measures.

Ensure adequate funding and agency staffing needed for the preparation, permitting, and implementing of HCPs.

Determine and promote steps to increase the speed of HCP preparation.

Promote integrated permitting including federal Endangered Species Act incidental take and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act permits.

Promote strategies that improve the effectiveness of HCP implementation.

Share HCP lessons learned and success stories and mentor new participants.

History

2015

In November 2015, Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) practitioners and policymakers from across the country convened for the first time to discuss the status and effectiveness of large-scale HCPs. This gathering led to the formation of the National Habitat Conservation Planning Coalition (National HCP Coalition)—a collaborative network of professionals focused on advocacy, resource sharing, and advancing HCP implementation and development.

2016

Since 2016, the National HCP Coalition has hosted an Annual Meeting, bringing together practitioners, agency staff, and other interested parties.

2022

In 2022, the National HCP Coalition formally secured tax-exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and registered as a non-profit organization.

2024

The 2024 meeting drew 263 participants from 27 states, including representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and various state wildlife agencies. The Coalition also engages in national advocacy, including submitting formal comment letters to the U.S. Department of the Interior and conducting annual visits to Washington, D.C. to promote key legislative and regulatory priorities that support effective conservation plan.

The Coalition also engages in national advocacy, including submitting formal comment letters to the U.S. Department of the Interior and conducting annual visits to Washington, D.C. to promote key legislative and regulatory priorities that support effective conservation plan.