NatureServe in Action

For 50 years, NatureServe has been the authoritative source for biodiversity data throughout North America. NatureServe works with 60+ organizations and 1,000+ conservation scientists to collect, analyze, and deliver biodiversity information, providing comprehensive spatial data to meet both regulatory and conservation needs.

Read on to explore how NatureServe Network data and discoveries have led to conservation achievements throughout North America.

One of the primary functions of the NatureServe Network is conducting species inventories and assessments in the field. While collecting data in a given area, the Network will at times discover a species that is new, either to a region or to science as a whole. Species discoveries signal the need for protection of the habitat in which those species live.

NatureServe doesn't just find and map species—we work to understand their life cycles, habitats, and the threats that they face. The more we know about species, the better job we can do at creating effective management strategies for their protection.

Land trusts are non-governmental organizations that protect land by purchasing it or negotiating easements. The Land Trust Alliance estimates that between one and two thousand land trusts have collectively protected more than 56 million acres of land nationally. The NatureServe Network provides the information that land trusts use to determine where their purchases will make the most impact for imperiled species and their habitats.  

Biodiversity doesn't just refer to species diversity, it also encompasses ecological diversity, or the number of different ecosystems and natural communities that support all life forms.

Determining which plants, animals, and ecosystems are thriving, as well as which are rare or declining, is crucial for identifying the species and ecosystems of greatest conservation concern. The NatureServe Network has developed a rigorous and consistent method for evaluating the relative imperilment of species and ecosystems based on the best available scientific data.

To maximize the impact of making science-based decisions, NatureServe prioritizes taking an on-the-ground approach to biodiversity conservation. By collaborating with stakeholders in regions in which rare or imperiled species occur, we are able to promote long-lasting conservation solutions for both people and wildlife.

The advances in conservation and species protection made by harnessing the power of the NatureServe Network's comprehensive data and expertise would not be possible without the continued support of our generous donors. NatureServe would like to thank everyone who has supported us and humbly ask that you continue to help us achieve our shared goal: protecting our planet's biodiversity for generations to come.

 Click here  to learn more about our impact around the globe.

About  NatureServe : For nearly 50 years, NatureServe has been the authoritative source for biodiversity data throughout the Western Hemisphere. To protect threatened biodiversity, NatureServe works with nearly 100 organizations and over 1,000 conservation scientists to collect, analyze, and deliver standardized biodiversity information, providing comprehensive spatial data to meet both regulatory and conservation needs. NatureServe and its network partners develop and manage data for over 100,000 species and ecosystems, answering fundamental questions about what exists, where it is found, and how it is doing.