What are PHUs and Why Do You Need to Buy Them

Florida Panther Conservation Bank Service Area

Posted on April 15, 2026

What Are PHUs?

Panther Habitat Units, or PHUs, are the measurement used in conservation banking to quantify habitat for the Florida panther. They represent a defined amount of functional habitat value based on approved scientific and regulatory criteria.

PHUs are calculated using factors such as habitat quality, connectivity to other protected lands, and the role a property plays within the larger Panther Focus Area. This provides a consistent way to measure conservation value across different properties and transactions.

Why PHUs Are Purchased

PHUs are purchased to meet regulatory mitigation requirements when development impacts occur in designated panther habitat areas. In these cases, agencies require compensation to offset those impacts. Buying PHUs from an approved conservation bank is one way to satisfy that requirement.

How PHUs Are Created and Sold

Conservation banks generate PHUs by permanently protecting and enhancing land under approved conservation plans. Once established, those PHUs are made available for purchase to entities that need Panther Habitat Units (PHUs) for permitted projects.

Why It Matters

This system allows habitat protection and development to occur within a regulated framework. It also directs funding toward land that has been set aside for long-term conservation.

For the Florida panther, maintaining connected habitat is a key part of its continued presence in the region. PHUs provide a way to account for that habitat in a structured and measurable form.

Learn More

To learn more about available PHUs within the Florida Panther Conservation Bank, contact Lynn Zenczak at (239) 633-8775 or lzenczak@reviveecosystems.com.