Definition
Habitat Conservation Planning (HCP) in the U.S. is a plan that prepared under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by nonfederal parties who want to obtain permits for the incidental taking of threatened and endangered species. They are planning documents that describe the anticipated effects of the proposed take permit. It must also describe how those impacts will be minimized or mitigated and how the HCP is to be funded. They have to ensure that the species will be conserved and that they will contribute to their recovery.
