NatureServe

Last updated
NatureServe
Formation1994
PurposeTo leverage the power of science, data, and technology to guide biodiversity conservation and stewardship.
Location
Region
North America
Website www.natureserve.org
Formerly called
Association for Biodiversity Information

NatureServe, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Arlington County, Virginia, US, that provides proprietary wildlife conservation-related data, tools, and services to private and government clients, partner organizations, and the public. [1] [2] [3] [4] NatureServe reports being "headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with regional offices in four U.S. locations and in Canada." [4] In calendar year 2011 they reported having 86 employees, 6 volunteers, and 15 independent officers. [5]

Contents

History

The Nature Conservancy reports that in 2000 it spun off its 85-center Natural Heritage Network "into a new independent organization, the Association for Biodiversity Information (later renamed NatureServe)." [6] NatureServe reports that it was established in 1994 [4] as the Association for Biodiversity Information. [4] [7] In 2001 the IRS approved a name change to NatureServe that was requested in 1999, while maintaining the organization's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status granted in July 1995. [7] [8] NatureServe's website declares that it is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt corporation incorporated in 1999 as a Washington, DC Nonprofit Corporation. [9]

Programs

NatureServe's programs focus on four main areas: [2]

NatureServe partners with IUCN Red List, [10] the accepted standard for worldwide imperiled species classification, [11] providing coordination assistance and data from their own assessments to the IUCN's conservation assessments, [12] [13] and working together on ongoing assessments. [14]

NatureServe Explorer is a web-based database provides public access to NatureServe's proprietary information on US and Canadian ecosystems and plant, animal, and fungus species. [15] [16] This includes ranked NatureServe conservation status assessment data on state, national, and global levels, considered a leading classification of imperiled species in the United States. [11] Infonatura was a nearly identical service providing information on Latin American wildlife and ecosystems. [17]

NatureServe maintains the National Vegetation Classification Standard for the United States as well as the International Classification of Ecological Communities, currently focused on the Western Hemisphere.[ citation needed ]

The NatureServe network

The natural heritage network now supported by NatureServe, began in 1974 with the creation of the South Carolina Heritage Trust. After working with Patrick Noonan, president of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), to arrange the donation of the 24,000-acre (97 km2) Santee Coastal Reserve, Joseph Hudson, chairman of South Carolina’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, wanted to identify other preservation-worthy lands in the state. He provided TNC with initial funding to amass information that could inform conservation and land-use decision-making while accounting for impacts on biodiversity.

While establishing that first program, TNC chief scientist Robert Jenkins Jr., chose to focus on biological features in need of conservation, and to use this information to suggest priority sites for protection. Targeted features included both species and natural communities, or elements of natural diversity.

Programs in West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oregon followed in 1975. By 1976, TNC had developed a model for expanding the emerging state network: go to the states and offer to hire and train a staff of biologists, establish an operating center, and, two years later, let the state take over operations. By 1993, the U.S. network consisted of organizations in all fifty states. Programs were formed in Latin American countries in 1982, and the Canadian programs first established in 1988 now extend to all provinces and Yukon Territory.

By the early 1990s, a group of natural heritage program directors began to develop network-wide information products. This effort led to the establishment of an independent nonprofit organization devoted to promoting the products and services of the network. Incorporated in 1994 as the Association for Biodiversity Information (ABI), this membership organization created the framework for network-wide coordination. In 1999, TNC’s natural heritage network and ABI formally joined forces, with the Conservancy transferring its databases, professional staff, and scientific standards and methodology to ABI. In 2001, having grown into its present form, this new, independent nonprofit became known as NatureServe.

Financial information

NatureServe Inc.'s 2011 IRS Form 990 lists total revenue of $8,680,216 and total expenses of $8,892,007. [8]

The corporation's fiscal year 2011 audited financial statement says that "the accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements." [3] It reports "total revenue, gains, and other support" of $9,499,301, and "total expenses" of $8,913,138. [3] $7,932,133 of revenue came from grants and contracts, including a sizable portion in federal awards for mapping services, wildlife assessments, and other products and services. [3] It also reports $186,290 in revenue from general contributions, $56,470 in revenue from membership dues, and $216,062 in fundraising expenses. [3]

Some major contributions are made in the form of grants for specific projects. The MacArthur Foundation reported that they awarded $1,191,500 in grants to NatureServe between 2003 and 2013, [1] and NatureServe announced that the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation awarded two grants totaling nearly $800,000 in 2005. [18] [19] [20] Between 2004 and 2009, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation donated $6.63 million, the Nature Conservency donated $3.43 million, the Knoblock Family Foundation donated $2.38 million, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation donated $1.21 million. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union for Conservation of Nature</span> International organization

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education. IUCN's mission is to "influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation in Australia</span>

Conservation in Australia is an issue of state and federal policy. Australia is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, with a large portion of species endemic to Australia. Preserving this wealth of biodiversity is important for future generations. 25% of Australia is managed for conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Nature Conservancy</span> Global charitable environmental organization

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. As of 2021, it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NatureServe conservation status</span> Conservation status assigned by the NatureServe

The NatureServe conservation status system, maintained and presented by NatureServe in cooperation with the Natural Heritage Network, was developed in the United States in the 1980s by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as a means for ranking or categorizing the relative imperilment of species of plants, animals, or other organisms, as well as natural ecological communities, on the global, national or subnational levels. These designations are also referred to as NatureServe ranks, NatureServe statuses, or Natural Heritage ranks. While the Nature Conservancy is no longer substantially involved in the maintenance of these ranks, the name TNC ranks is still sometimes encountered for them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation status</span> Indication of the chance of a species extinction, regardless of authority used

The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. It forms part of our natural resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation in Papua New Guinea</span>

Papua New Guinea together with the West Papua region of Indonesia make up a major tropical wilderness area that still contains 5% of the original and untouched tropical high-biodiversity terrestrial ecosystems. PNG in itself contains over 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 1% of the world's total land area. The flora of New Guinea is unique because it has two sources of origin; the Gondwana flora from the south and flora with Asian origin from the west. As a result, New Guinea shares major family and genera with Australia and the East Asia, but is rich in local endemic species. The endemicity is a result of mountainous isolation, topographic and soil habitat heterogeneity, high forest disturbance rates and abundant aseasonal rainfall year round. PNG boasts some 15–21,000 higher plants, 3,000 species of orchids, 800 species of coral, 600 species of fish, 250 species of mammals and 760 species of birds and 8 species of tree-kangaroos out of which 84 genera of animals are endemic. Ecosystems range from lowland forests to montane forests, alpine flora down to coastal areas which contains some of the most extensive pristine mangrove areas in the world. Much of this biodiversity has remained intact for thousands of years because the ruggedness of the terrain made the interior lands inaccessible; furthermore low population density and restrictions on the effectiveness of traditional tools, ensured that these biodiversity was never overexploited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communal wildlife conservancies in Namibia</span>

Namibia is one of few countries in the world to specifically address habitat conservation and protection of natural resources in their constitution. Article 95 states, "The State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting international policies aimed at the following: maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity of Namibia, and utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future.".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oldfield mouse</span> Species of rodent

The oldfield mouse, oldfield deermouse or beach mouse is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Cricetidae that primarily eats seeds. It lives in holes throughout the Southeastern United States in beaches and sandy fields. Predators to these mice include birds and mammals. In 2016, these mice were in the least concern category on the IUCN Red List with certain subspecies classified as extinct, critically endangered, endangered or near threatened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservancy fairy shrimp</span> Species of small freshwater animal

The conservancy fairy shrimp is an endangered small crustacean in the family Branchinectidae. It ranges in size from about 1.25 centimetres (0.49 in) to 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) long. This species is endemic to California in the United States.

The Conservation Geoportal was an online geoportal, intended to provide a comprehensive listing of geographic information systems (GIS) datasets and web map service relevant to biodiversity conservation. It is currently defunct. The site, its contents and functionality were free for anyone to use and contribute to. The Conservation Geoportal was launched on June 28, 2006 at the joint Society for Conservation Biology and Society for Conservation GIS Conference in San Jose, California, USA. As of October 2007, it included metadata for over 3,667 GIS records.

The ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) was officially launched on 1 December 2005, as a regional inter-agency and inter-governmental initiative to counter the illegal cross-border trade in endangered flora and fauna. It helps countries share information on and tackle cross-border wildlife crime and facilitates the exchange of regional best practices in combating those crimes. As the world's largest wildlife law enforcement network, it comprises the law enforcement agencies of the 10 ASEAN countries forming a regional intergovernmental law-enforcement network.

Tundi Agardy is a marine conservationist and the founder of Sound Seas – a Washington DC-based group specializing in working at the nexus of marine science and policy in order to safeguard ocean life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of biodiversity articles</span>

This is a list of topics in biodiversity.

Allium elmendorfii is a species of wild onion endemic to Texas. It is known only from Bexar, Frio, Wilson, and Atascosa Counties. It is generally found on sandy soils, specifically "well-drained sands, Eocene, Pleistocene and Holocene sands, and has only a 400 x 160 km range." Its habitat is "Forest/Woodland, Savanna, Woodland - Hardwood" and specifically "{g}rassland openings in post oak woodlands on deep, well-drained sands derived from Queen City and similar Eocene formations."

Steve McCormick is the former president of The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (2007–2014) and the former president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy (2000–2007). In May 2014, Gordon Moore announced that McCormick was leaving the Moore Foundation to co-found a startup to create the first global, open-source database on ecosystem services and natural capital, called The Earth Genome. McCormick is a board member for many social impact and environmental organizations.

The Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) is an initiative that aims to rapidly develop models that will underpin the next phase of nature conservation and sustainable development. It works with public, voluntary and private sector organizations around the world to transform the relationship between people and nature.

References

  1. 1 2 "NatureServe – Macarthur Foundation". Macarthur Foundation. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 "GuideStar: Generic-Organization Report, NatureServe". The GuideStar Site. GuideStar USA, Inc. 14 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Mullen Sondberg Wimbish & Stone, PA. "NatureServe, Inc. Financial Statements" (PDF). NatureServe, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "NatureServe: About Us". NatureServe. NatureServe, Inc. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "IRS Form 990, 2011: NatureServe, Inc" (PDF). GuideStar. GuideStar USA, Inc. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "History & Milestone: The Nature Conservancy". The Nature Conservency. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  7. 1 2 "IRS Letter of Determination" (PDF). GuideStar. GuideStar USA, Inc. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Nonprofit Explorer – NATURESERVE – ProPublica". ProPublica. Pro Publica Inc. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "NatureServe: Financial Disclosure". NatureServe. NatureServe, Inc. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Partners and Technical Support". IUCN Red List. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  11. 1 2 Harris, J. Berton C.; Reid, J. Leighton; Scheffers, Brett R.; Wanger, Thomas C.; Sodhi, Navjot S.; Fordham, Damien A.; Brook, Barry W. (2012). "Conserving imperiled species: a comparison of the IUCN Red List and U.S. Endangered Species Act". Conservation Letters. 5 (1): 64–72. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2011.00205.x . ISSN   1755-263X.
  12. ↑ "IUCN Global Species Assessments". IUCN Red List Assessments. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "Assessment Process". IUCN Red List. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas Dedicates Nearly $1 Million for Environmental Causes (Press Release)" (PDF). Mitsubishi Corporation Global Site. Mitsubishi Corp. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  15. ↑ Christopher R. (2011). Documenting and Protecting Biodiversity on Land Trust Projects: An Introduction and Practical Guide (First ed.). Land Trust Alliance. pp. 73–75. ISBN   978-0-943915-04-3 . Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life". NatureServe. NatureServe, Inc. Archived from the original on 16 February 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  17. ↑ Nicole Silk; Kristine Ciruna (19 December 2005). A Practitioner's Guide to Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation. Island Press. p. 45. ISBN   978-1-59726-619-2 . Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  18. ↑ Kittrell, JoAnn (10 December 2009). "New tool developed to assess vulnerability of species to climate change". Nevada Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  19. ↑ Barker, Kristin; Stein, Bruce A. (4 October 2006). "NatureServe Vista: A GIS-Based Decision Support System for Conservation Planning". Proceedings of TDWG; 2006. Biodiversity Information Standards – TWDG (Taxonomic Databases Working Group). Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  20. ↑ "Grants from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Advance NatureServe's Support for State Wildlife Conservation Strategies (Press Release)" (PDF). NatureServe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  21. ↑ "Donations for Non Profit Organizations: NatureServe". Million Dollar List. Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2013.


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