As the number of endangered and threatened species in California increases, conservation of habitat on private land becomes more crucial than ever. Safe Harbor Agreements (SHA) and Voluntary Local Programs (VLP) represent two voluntary, regulatory pathways encouraging landowners to manage their lands for the benefit of threatened, endangered, candidate, declining, or vulnerable species. Incidental take of covered species during activities detailed in the SHA or VLP is not prohibited by the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). We discuss advantages, limitations and key differences between these regulatory pathways and suggest creative ways in which they could be used in the future to safeguard California’s vulnerable species. We also discuss how these pathways could enhance habitat for insects, such as the western bumble bee which have recently become candidates for listing under CESA.