About Us
The mission of the Yolo Habitat Conservancy is to conserve natural and working landscapes, and the species on which they depend, by working with local communities and conservation partners to coordinate mitigation and implement regional habitat conservation.
The Yolo Habitat Conservancy is a joint powers agency comprised of the County of Yolo and the cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland.
The Yolo Habitat Conservancy has prepared the Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (Yolo HCP/NCCP), a model conservation plan to provide Endangered Species Act permits and associated mitigation for infrastructure (e.g. roads, bridges, and levees) and development activities (e.g. agricultural facilities, housing, and commercial buildings), identified for construction over the next 50 years in Yolo County. The Yolo Habitat Conservancy is also developing a voluntary, non-regulatory, Yolo Regional Conservation Investment Strategy/Local Conservation Plan (RCIS/LCP) that will provide a framework for the conservation of natural communities and certain sensitive species not covered by the Yolo HCP/NCCP.
Staff, Boards and Committees
Yolo Habitat Conservancy Staff
Yolo Habitat Conservancy Board
The County of Yolo and the incorporated cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland formed the Joint Powers Agency (now the Yolo Habitat Conservancy or YHC) in 2002 to oversee the development of a regional conservation plan for Yolo County. The YHC Board of Directors consists of elected representatives from the county and each of the four cities along with one representative from the University of California, Davis. Board members are appointed by their representative agency to serve on the Yolo Habitat Conservancy Board and do not receive financial compensation for their service as a board member. The board has two primary functions: (1) to assist in the planning, preparation, and subsequent administration of the Yolo HCP/NCCP and the Yolo Local Conservation Strategy; and (2) to facilitate acquisition of conservation easements to mitigate adverse effects on Swainson’s hawk’s habitat during the planning process.
In 2005, the YHC entered into a Planning Agreement with the CDFW and the USFWS, pursuant to the NCCPA that defined the initial scope of the program as well as the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in the development of the HCP/NCCP.
Meeting materials including the meeting calendar, agendas, and meeting minutes can be found on the Meetings Page.
Name
Linda Deos
Lucas Frerichs
Verna Sulpizio Hull
Richard Casavechchia
David Moreno
Mabel Salon
Mary Vixie Sandy
Agency/Positions
City of Davis Councilmember
Yolo County Supervisor
City of West Sacramento Councilmember
City of Winters Councilmember
City of Woodland Councilmember
UC Davis Local Gov. Relations Manager
Yolo County Supervisor
Appointment
January 2025
January 2023
January 2023
September 2023
January 2025
August 2022
November 2023
Board Members:
Advisory Committee
vernas@cityofwestsacramento.org
richard.casavecchia@cityofwinters.org
The Advisory Committee is established to assist the YHC Board of Directors on the development and management of the reserve system of public and private lands consistent with the biological goals and objectives in Yolo HCP/NCCP Chapter 6, Conservation Strategy.
Makeup of membership:
9 voting-members
- One representative from each member agency jurisdiction (County of Yolo, City of Davis, City of West Sacramento, City of Winters, and City of Woodland).
- One representative from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
- Three representatives from agricultural and wildlife conservation organizations.
6 nonvoting-members
- One representative from each member agency jurisdiction planning staff (County of Yolo, City of Davis, City of West Sacramento, City of Winters, and City of Woodland).
- One representative from the University of California, Davis.
Science and Technical Advisory Committee
The biologists and other planners of the Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) provide scientific and technical guidance to the YHC on the selection of proposed conservation easement properties and mitigation receiving sites (e.g. regarding species biology, species habitat requirements, and habitat restoration actions). The STAC may also advise the YHC on other issues as requested by the Executive Director, such as site-specific management and monitoring plans, habitat management and/or enhancement opportunities, and easements that benefit covered species eligible for grants.
STAC Members:
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Jim Estep, Chair, Estep Environmental
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Melanie Truan, UC Davis
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Eric Hansen, Consulting Biologist
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Patrick Reynolds, Hedgerow Farms
