A group of states are experimenting with cap-and-trade
conservation.
Daniel Rothberg
November 30, 2017, 10:00 AM GMT
Agee Smith’s Cottonwood Ranch is tucked away in rural Nevada,
about 450 miles from Las Vegas and not far from the Idaho border. The area
is prime habitat for the greater sage grouse, an imperiled bird found in 11
western states. The male grouse is known for his eccentric
mating dance—involving strutting, chest puffing and the
inflation of two yellow air sacs on his neck.
Over the past two years, Smith worked to improve areas that
are crucial habitats for sage grouse. He has planted sagebrush and improved the
grass density in his meadows. If a new conservation method works as planned,
Smith could make some money off his work.
Nevada, along with Colorado and Wyoming, has been
working to create statewide markets for the conservation of the bird. In the
simplest terms, these markets let developers—mining and energy companies,
mainly—offset their impact on sage grouse by purchasing “credits” from ranchers
who conserve an equal amount of habitat. It’s like cap-and-trade for
conservation. Nevada is so far the only state to open its exchange, with the
first transaction occurring on Nov. 9.
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