WJTCA Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants
WJTCA Key Terms & Definitions
Candidate Species: A species for which the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has determined that listing as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act may be warranted.1
California Endangered Species Act (CESA): The state law that provides for the conservation, protection, restoration, and enhancement of threatened or endangered species and their habitats in California.2
California Fish and Game Code: The body of state law that governs the management and conservation of fish and wildlife resources in California, including the California Endangered Species Act.3
California Fish and Game Commission: The state agency responsible for regulating the taking and possession of fish and wildlife, including the listing of threatened and endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act.4
Critical Habitat: Geographic areas that contain features essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management considerations or protection.5
Endangered Species: A native species or subspecies of bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant that is in serious danger of becoming extinct throughout all, or a significant portion, of its range.6
Habitat: The physical and biological environment in which a species or population normally lives and reproduces.7
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP): A planning document that outlines the anticipated effects of a proposed activity on federally listed species and how those impacts will be minimized or mitigated.8
Incidental Take: The take of a listed species that results from, but is not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity.9
Incidental Take Permit: A permit issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that allows a permittee to take a listed species if such taking is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity.10
Mitigation: Actions taken to offset or compensate for the negative impacts of a project on the environment, such as the creation, restoration, or enhancement of habitat.11
Person: Any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, association, or other private entity, or any officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the federal government, any state or political subdivision thereof, or any foreign government.12
Safe Harbor Agreement: A voluntary agreement between a property owner and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that provides assurances to the property owner that no additional future regulatory restrictions will be imposed as a result of their conservation actions.13
Species of Special Concern: A species, subspecies, or distinct population of an animal native to California that currently satisfies one or more of the criteria for listing under CESA but has not been formally listed.14
Take: To hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.15
Threatened Species: A native species or subspecies of bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant that, although not presently threatened with extinction, is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future in the absence of special protection and management efforts.16
Transplantation: The removal and relocation of a plant or animal from one location to another, often as a mitigation measure for a project that will impact the species' habitat.17
Western Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia): A plant species native to the Mojave Desert region of California that is currently designated as a candidate for listing as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.18
Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: The California state law that provides specific protections for the western Joshua tree and its habitat, operating within the broader framework of the California Endangered Species Act.19
Western Joshua Tree Habitat: Areas within the range of the western Joshua tree that contain the necessary ecological conditions to support the species, including appropriate soil, moisture, and temperature regimes.20
Footnotes
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2068 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2051 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 1 et seq. ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 200 et seq. ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2052.1 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2062 ↩
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, § 783.2(e) ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2081(b) ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2081(b) ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2081(b) ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2052.1 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 67 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2089.2 et seq. ↩
Cal. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, Species of Special Concern ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 86 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2067 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 1002 ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2070 et seq. ↩
Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2070 et seq. ↩
Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, § 2(e) ↩
A Note to Our Readers: We hope this guide is a valuable resource in helping you better understand the . However, it's not a substitute for professional advice and doesn't cover every scenario. Always consult with regulatory bodies and professionals for the most current advice and project-specific guidance.