Blending Land & Energy Conservation with Opportunity

The economic benefits of land conservation can be significant.

At Pinion Conservation, we help achieve land and energy conservation objectives.

Our consultants are experts in the field, and can help you benefit from, and navigate through, the complexities of land trusts, wildlife opportunities, renewable energy, and conservation energy.

For energy companies and developers, this includes habitat mitigation and wetland credits, and pairing you with landowners seeking economic opportunities.

For farmers, ranchers, and landowners, Pinion Conservation experts can help find and secure financial opportunities, as well as understand the rights and values that run with your land. This often creates income to expand operations, liquidate debt, produce cash, provide collateral for next-generation family members, or help landowners who don’t have successors to pass the land on to.

Landowners can tap into five main areas for additional revenue opportunities:

  • Wildlife habitats
  • Wetlands
  • Solar or wind production
  • Mineral development
  • Conservation easements

Partnering Organizations

Pinion Conservation works in partnership with many state organizations to help access markets and create private-land conservation projects. Not only can this help develop a revenue stream from your land, it can potentially increase your land value as well.

CA Farm Bureau Federation
ID Cattle Association
MT Stockgrowers Association
NV Cattlemens Association
UT Farm Bureau Federation
WY Stockgrowers

Recent Conservation Credit Work

Pinion is proud to have helped the Crawford Ranch develop and sell the first sage grouse conservation credits under Nevada's new Conservation Credit System.

What is a conservation credit?

Landowners across the country are being approached by companies that need to mitigate the environmental impacts of their projects by purchasing conservation credits on agricultural lands. “Conservation credit” is a broad term that covers a range of activities that produce positive environmental results, like restoring wildlife habitat or wetlands, or creating conservation easements.

A conservation credit is a defined environmental benefit that can be sold on the open market. If you’re a business, you can purchase these credits, which are created by building, restoring, or protecting resources off-site on farms, ranches, or private timberlands. Conservation credits can also be an important source of revenue for farmers, ranchers, and other landowners.

Depending on the needs of the buyer, conservation credits can be permanent and coupled with a conservation easement or they may be shorter 10-, 20-, or 30-year agreements.

How does wildlife habitat mitigation work?

State and/or federal land-management agencies require project developers—involved in oil and gas production, wind and solar energy projects, pipelines, and transmission lines—to conduct wildlife habitat mitigation on projects that impact habitat for certain species. Here’s how it works:

For Developers

You, the project developer, meet your obligation by paying a landowner for habitat mitigation credits. Then, you get credit for preserving wildlife habitat and can move your project forward.

For Farmers, Ranchers and Landowners

If you’re a farmer, rancher or other landowner, Pinion Conservation helps you develop a revenue stream from your land through conservation credits. As an added benefit, higher-quality habitat can improve the natural beauty of your property and create outdoor recreation opportunities—further increasing your land value.

How to Get Started

For a complimentary property screening, please complete our Pinion Conservation Opportunity Screening Inventory.

  • We will screen your land, and based on its location, let you know if there may be a market for conservation projects in your area. If there is, we will present habitat mitigation opportunities for your consideration as they become available.
  • You decide whether to undertake a project and which conservation projects you want to host.
  • If you are eligible and interested, Pinion Conservation can guide you through preparing credits, matching you with prospective buyers, and negotiating with developers on your behalf so you maximize your gains and develop a project that works for you.
  • No strings attached. Confidentiality guaranteed.

Recent Conservation Insights