THE UPPER GREEN RIVER CONSERVANCY™ IS THE NATION'S FIRST CO-OP CONSERVATION BANK™ CREATED TO RESTORE AND MANAGE HEALTHY SAGEBRUSH LANDSCAPES WHILE PROVIDING FOR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUED RANCHING. 

The Upper Green River Conservancy Co-Op Conservation Bank™ (UGRC) is an innovative partnership of ranchers, energy companies, conservation stakeholders and impact investors working together to ensure the protection of core sage grouse habitat in the ecologically and energy-rich Upper Green River watershed in southwestern Wyoming.

Under this ground-breaking Co-Op Conservation Bank model, UGRC partners with ranchers to develop and certify Greater sage grouse credits (“GSG Credits”) on privately owned ranchlands that occupy critical sage grouse habitats.  UGRC GSG Credits receive certification from the State of Wyoming in accord with the State’s 2018 Compensatory Mitigation Credit Provider Approval Process.  The purchase of GSG Credits by energy companies and other organizations pursuing development in UGRC’s Service Area provides developers the ability to achieve net conservation gains in line with the principles of Wyoming’s Greater Sage-Grouse Core Area Protection policy.

To learn more about the history and ecological importance of the Green River basin, please see: The Green River Basin: A Natural History.

To learn more about sage grouse management in Wyoming, please see: Wyoming Game and Fish Department Sage-Grouse Management.