Montana Sage Grouse Habitat Conservation Program - Credit Projects

Credit projects preserve, restore, or enhance sage grouse habitat. Credits created by these habitat conservation projects can be sold to developers who need credits to offset impacts of their development.

Preservation credit projects protect habitat through perpetual or term conservation easements or contractual leases. Preservation projects entails the voluntary, legal removal of development threats such as new cultivation, subdivision, or other non-agricultural land uses that would eliminate or impair sagebrush habitat for the specified number of years. Easements or leases must be for a minimum of 15 years.

Restoration or enhancement credit projects increase the quantity or quality of habitat. Examples include removal of encroaching conifers or reseeding areas formerly managed for cultivated agriculture.

To be eligible, credit projects must be in a designated Core Area, General Habitat, or a Connectivity Area. The number of credits available will be determined by the Program using the Habitat Quantification Tool.

There are four Montana Service Areas. Developers should obtain credits from the same Service Area where their development project will occur.

Additional Resources:

• Montana Service Area Map
• Frequently Asked Questions About Credits and Private Lands
• Information About the Montana Mitigation HQT Basemap
• Image of the Montana Mitigation HQT Basemap (October 2018 v1.0)