NatureServe
is a non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to provide the scientific basis
for effective conservation action. NatureServe and
its network of natural heritage programs are the leading source for information
about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems.
NatureServe represents an international network of biological
inventoriesknown as natural heritage programs or conservation data centersoperating
in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Together we
not only collect and manage detailed local information on plants, animals, and
ecosystems, but develop information products, data management tools, and conservation
services to help meet local, national, and global conservation needs. The objective
scientific information about species and ecosystems developed by NatureServe
is used by all sectors of societyconservation groups, government agencies,
corporations, academia, and the publicto make informed decisions about
managing our natural resources.
Our Goals
Help make biodiversity a mainstream consideration in all significant conservation and natural resource management decisions by making it simple for conservationists, government agencies, corporations, and landowners to access and use high-quality biodiversity information.
Advance our scientific resources and information technology systems in order to meet the needs of our clients and partners.
Strengthen our organizational effectiveness and capacity and better leverage the power of the NatureServe network to inform conservation action at local, regional, national, and international scales.
For more information on our goals, read our strategic plan.
Our History
NatureServe carries on a legacy of conservation work that began when The Nature
Conservancy helped to establish the first state natural heritage program in
1974. Over the next two decades The Nature Conservancy and a collection of public
and private partners built a network of natural heritage programs in the United
States to collect and manage data about the status and distribution of species
and ecosystems of conservation concern.
As this network expanded to include Canada and Latin America,
natural heritage programs became the recognized source for the most complete
and detailed information on rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems,
relied upon by government agencies, corporations, and the conservation community
alike. Today the NatureServe network includes 82 independent natural heritage
programs and conservation data centers throughout the Western Hemisphere, with
nearly 1,000 dedicated scientists and a collective annual budget of more than $45
million.
NatureServe, the membership organization for this network, was established
in 1994 and was originally known as the Association for Biodiversity Information.
By 2001, the organization had grown and evolved into its present form. The Nature
Conservancy, which since the 1970s had provided scientific and technical support
to the network, transferred this role to NatureServe, along with professional
staff, databases, and responsibility for the scientific standards and procedures
under which the network operates. NatureServe is headquartered in Arlington,
Virginia, with regional offices in four U.S. locations and in Canada.