The Butte County region is a unique area where the mountains and foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges converge creating unique vistas as well as habitats for a wide variety of species, some of which are protected by state and federal law.  The region's open spaces, vibrant cities and towns, high quality of life, and natural beauty have led to increasing population growth, with this trend expected to continue well into the future.

A significant portion of future growth will occur in western Butte County, where habitat exists for numerous threatened and endangered species, setting up an inevitable conflict between state and federally required species conservation, and economic development.

The Butte Regional Conservation Plan (BRCP) seeks to avoid such conflict, clearing regulatory obstacles for continued economic development and growth, while ensuring protection of the diverse ecosystems, unique species and scenic landscapes that make the Butte County region unique.

The officials of our cities and county governments are providing the leadership to develop this strategy for balancing growth and conservation by protecting our natural resources in compliance with applicable state and federal laws through the BRCP, while allowing our future growth and development to occur under a less cumbersome environmental permitting process.