Regional Conservation Investment Strategies Program

Program Overview

The Regional Conservation Investment Strategies (RCIS) Program is a voluntary program that encourages conservation assessments and planning at a landscape level using existing information. The RCIS Program also provides opportunities for large scale conservation and mitigation projects resulting in higher ecological benefits than project-by-project efforts. The various RCIS Program opportunities are available through the Program's three components: Regional Conservation Assessment (RCA), Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (RCIS), and Mitigation Credit Agreement (MCA). Please contact the RCIS Program Team at RCIS@wildlife.ca.gov with any questions.

Program Guidelines

• RCAs, RCISs, and MCAs must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the 2023 RCIS Program Guidelines (PDF)
• Development of an RCA, RCIS, or MCA requires payment of the applicable RCIS Program Fees (PDF)
• For development of an MCA, CDFW strongly recommends using the MCA Template (Word)
• A draft MCA must be submitted with the MCA Checklist (PDF)
• An MCA Framework must be submitted with a Framework Checklist (PDF)

Program Components

Regional Conservation Assessment (RCA)

Uses existing information to provide an assessment of the area's existing conditions. An RCA may be used by anyone for various types of conservation or development scoping. No RCAs have been proposed to date. Contact the RCIS Program Team for more information.

Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (RCIS)

Uses existing information to provide an assessment of the area's existing conditions. An RCIS provides guidance for the types and locations of conservation and mitigation projects that would provide ecological benefits within the area. Public agencies and federally recognized tribes can create an RCIS.

Mitigation Credit Agreement (MCA)

An MCA is a flexible advance mitigation crediting mechanism developed under an approved RCIS. Anyone can develop an MCA in collaboration with CDFW to create mitigation credits by implementing actions identified in an RCIS.

Additional Program Resources

• CDFW’s RCIS Program Overview and Updates, Public Webinar, hosted by The Nature Conservancy from October 2023 – RCIS Presentation (Video)
• CDFW’s MCA Program Overview and Updates, Public Webinar, hosted by The Nature Conservancy from October 2023 – MCA Presentation (Video)
• Fish and Game Code, sections 1850-1860 outlines the requirements of the RCIS Program
• Visit WCB's website for information about grant funding, including for the preparation of RCISs
• Glance through the RCIS Program Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Program Contact

For questions about the RCIS Program, contact the RCIS Program Team at: RCIS@wildlife.ca.gov. Click "Subscribe" above to sign up for updates about the RCIS Program.