A Habitat Conservation Lease is a voluntary, incentive-based agreement between FWP and private landowners in which the landowner commits to specific land management practices that protect priority wildlife habitat. In turn, FWP pays landowners a one-time per-acre fee for the lease. These agreements have a term length of 30 or 40 years. For payment levels and other related information, please see the “Program Benefits and Requirements” tab below.
The Habitat Conservation Lease Program aims to conserve up to 500,000 acres in the next five years.
As it has for decades, FWP continues to pursue conservation easements and land purchases where support from landowners, local officials, and the community exists. The lease program adds to the conservation tools already available to landowners.
The initial focus of the Habitat Conservation Lease Program will be on prairie habitats, with a priority on sagebrush grasslands, mixed grass prairie, and wetland-grassland complexes recognized by FWP as high priority for wildlife. This focus will be expanded to other priority habitats in subsequent years.
In areas critical to sage-grouse, these leases will ensure habitat protections that help keep populations healthy and allow the bird to remain off the Endangered Species List.
