The approximately 160-acre Fairmont Butte Preserve (FBP) was specifically chosen for its ability to protect and preserve biologically sensitive open space habitat as compensatory lands for the City of Lancaster. Wildlands used various geographically based filters to determine the potential suitability of conservation lands. In order to mitigate for impacts of the City of Lancaster, Wildlands attempted to find suitable open space habitat within areas identified as having ecological value and/or having occurrences of sensitive habitats and species. Wildlands also used the California Natural Diversity Database to identify areas with known species occurrences. Wildlands utilized all available geographic data, interviews with species and habitat experts, and guidance from regulatory agencies to specifically target high priority areas for conservation.

The Preserve is located within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service designated desert tortoise Western Mojave Recovery Unit. FBP is in close proximity to the Los Angeles County’s San Andreas Significant Ecological Area, to the Joshua Tree Woodland Significant Ecological Area, to the Castaic Ranges High Ecological Significance, to the Neenach Wildlife Preserve, to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, to the Arthur B Ripley Desert State Park, to the Portal Ridge Wildlife Area operated by Transition Habitat Conservancy, and to the Long Canyon Ranch Preserve.