A natural community is a collection of plants and animals that exists in the same habitat or area and interact with one another. Natural communities include land cover types, which are the habitat types found on the land or ground. There are many land cover types, including both natural land cover types and land that has been affected by agriculture or development.

The Habitat Plan, by providing a coordinated conservation approach, seeks to protect, enhance, and restore natural communities throughout the Santa Clara region.  To support these efforts, fees and conditions are placed on covered activities that may impact specific land cover types.

In the Habitat Plan area, seven natural communities and two additional land cover categories (agriculture and developed) are defined. These are listed below, along with their constituent land cover types.