High Conservation Value (HCV)
Assessment Specialists

The HCV Africa team has a wealth of experience and expertise that enable us to carry out High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments successfully.

Our specialists are experts in their respective fields and our senior members are registered scientists in Africa and Europe.
We have completed numerous agribusiness projects throughout Africa and other parts of the world, including remote areas where infrastructure is poor and local capacity is limited. The team has completed numerous International Finance Corporation (IFC) compliant assessments and has working knowledge of the relevant Performance Standards.

The team consists of ornithologists, botanists, mammologists, aquatic ecologists, terrestrial ecologists, anthropologists and social scientists includes individuals who have completed HCV assessments in Africa and Asia.

High Conservation Value

High Conservation Value, biodiversity, environmental impact assessments

High Carbon Stock

Identifying High Carbon Stock forest areas for protection and ongoing management

Monitoring & Auditing

Environmental auditing and impact assessments – mining, agriculture, renewable energy 

HCV Africa

What are HCV’s?

HCV’s are biological, ecological, social or cultural values which are considered outstandingly significant or critically important, at the national, regional, or global level.

All natural habitats possess inherent conservation values, including the presence of rare or endemic species, provision of ecosystem services, sacred sites, or resources harvested by the local community.

The HCV African team has the experience and technical knowledge to identify the HCV’s relating to their respective specialist fields

The Six HCV’s

HCV ONE

Species diversity – Concentrations of biological diversity including endemic species, and rare, threatened or endangered species, that are significant at global, regional or national levels.

HCV TWO

Landscape level ecosystems – Large landscape-level ecosystems and ecosystem mosaics that are significant at global, regional or national levels, and that contain viable populations of the great majority of the naturally occurring species in natural patterns of distribution and abundance.

HCV THREE

Ecosystems and habitats – including habitats and refugia that are rare, threatened, and endangered.

HCV FOUR

Ecosystem services – Basic ecosystem services in critical situations, including protection of water catchments and control of erosion of vulnerable soils and slopes.

HCV FIVE

Community needs – Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying the basic necessities of local communities or indigenous peoples (for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water, etc.), identified through engagement with these communities or indigenous peoples.

HCV SIX

Cultural values – Sites, resources, habitats and landscapes of global or national cultural, archaeological or historical significance, and/or of critical cultural, ecological, economic or religious/sacred importance for the traditional cultures of local communities or indigenous peoples.

Our MISSION

Why Us?

HCV Africa is an environmental platform based in Africa.

It provides international-standard environmental and social services, biodiversity assessments, environmental impact assessments, environmental auditing, implementation, and advisory services through a number of highly qualified specialists all of whom have extensive experience working in Africa as reputable scientists.

Specialist Scientists

HCV Africa has a number of specialist scientists that work as associates to fulfil the disciplines required to conduct successful HCV and HCS assessments.

Botanists and vegetation specialists

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Mammologists

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Aquatic ecologists

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Social scientists

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Ornithologists

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Herpetofauna specialists

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Soil scientists

No additional information is yet available

Anthropologists

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ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

Philip Patton

HCV Licensed Assessor and HCS Registered Practitioner
Philip Patton is the founder of HCV Africa.

He is a licensed High Conservation Value Assessor (ALS15041PP).

Philip holds a B.Sc. Hons (Environmental Science) from the University of Cape Town, and a B.Sc. (Geology and Botany) from the University of Port Elizabeth

Follow me on @instagram

Contact us

We welcome all enquiries