The conservation of biodiversity is a big business. This guide to conservation banking explains what it is and how it works. It provides practical guidance, tools, case studies, analysis and insights into conservation banking and other market-based approaches to conservation.

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.

'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... It clearly captures the history, policy and complexities behind conservation banking with real world examples from leading experts in the field.' Steve Morgan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Wildlands Inc. 'Once again, the group at Ecosystem Marketplace has provided an invaluable service, 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 'Conservation banks offer an important tool for species protection on lands that may otherwise be lost to development. This book offers the best guide yet to developing and improving on this emerging strategy.' Ken Sanchez, Assistant Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Service Office 'Offers a thorough overview of this emerging practice from a stellar line-up of the nation's experts. The policy recommendations offered throughout provide a roadmap for the safeguards that are needed to ensure that conservation banking fulfills its promise to promote species conservation.' Jessica Wilkinson, Director, Wetlands and State Biodiversity Programs, Environmental Law Institute 'Brings together some of the best minds and most experienced hands on the topic to explain what conservation banking is and how it works.' Michael Bean, Chairman, Wildlife Program, Environmental Defense 'This how-to-guide to conservation banking contains sections on the advantages and pitfalls of conservation banking and ecological, regulatory, and financial considerations. It uses case studies to describe many new, innovative approaches to creating economic markets for terrestrial and marine biodiversity protection.' Flaspohler, Michigan Technological University, USA 'Everyone interested in conservation banking owes a debt of gratitude to the authors of this book for providing a comprehensive and honest treatment. All the pitfalls and complications are spelled out alongside the merits... [This book] should be required reading before doing anything in conservation banking.' Crosslands Bulletin 'Carroll and Bayon make a convincing case that yielding some habitat may be in the best long-term interest of some species and ecosystems... Recommended' Choice 'Anyone contemplating entering this field would do well to study [this book]' Brian Leslie, Sustainable Economics, December 2009. '...provides a comprehensive guide for understanding how species credit banking works, and how practitioners and those interested in establishing a species bank might proceed.' Journal of Economic Literature, September 2010.