Report prepared for the Experts Meeting Towards the Implementation of a Global Invasive Species
Information Network (GISIN), 6-8 April, 2004. Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Page 77
8/30/2004
NatureServe Explorer
Terri Killeffer, Botanical Research Associate,
NatureServe, and Rachael Muir, Biologist,
United States Geological Survey, 1101 Wilson
Boulevard, 15th Floor, Arlington, VA 22209
Abstract
NatureServe is a non-profit conservation
organization representing an international
network of natural heritage programs operating
in 50 USA States, Canada, Latin America and
the Caribbean (74 programs with some 800
scientists). Over the last 30 years, the network
has documented detailed information on a half-
million occurrences of at-risk species and
communities.
Biotics 4, a geographic information
system software tool for managing biodiversity
information, is designed to ensure that data
collected in each member program can be
aggregated, analyzed, and exchanged between
the member programs and the central database.
Much of this information is delivered through the
website, NatureServe Explorer at
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ with the
intent to enhance research capabilities and
provide more searchable data in the future. A
rigorous set of biological inventory and data
management standards are applied which
serves as a common language for our network.
The network utilizes many sources for data:
natural heritage scientists as well as scientists at
universities, conservation organizations,
museums, botanical gardens, and state and
federal agencies.
Historically, NatureServe's principal
focus was species of concern. Fields have been
recently added to Biotics 4, expanding the
invasive species information for plants by
including data developed using a peer-reviewed
Invasive Species Assessment Protocol that
evaluates non-native plant species for their
impact on biodiversity. The network has the
capacity for additional information regarding
invasive alien species and is available to
participate in the Global Invasive Species
Information Network.
Introduction
The non-profit organization NatureServe
has 74 natural heritage member programs
and conservation data centers located
throughout the United States, Canada, and
Latin America. The program members
collect and manage data about plants,
animals, and ecological communities.
NatureServe employs ecologists, botanists,
zoologists, and data specialists to fulfill its
mission of connecting science with
technology.
The first natural heritage program was
established in 1974, in South Carolina,
USA, by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). At
that time, NatureServe was the data
management and data collection
component of TNC. They captured and
collected data on rare species and
ecological communities to help TNC
prioritize land acquisitions. Eventually
separating from TNC in 1994 (and first
known as the Association for Biodiversity
Information), NatureServe has continued to
develop the now 30 year old network, which
today reaches across most of the Western
Hemisphere. The programs are housed at
state or provincial agencies (78%); some
are affiliated with universities, while fewer
than five are still operated by the TNC.
The program members collect information
mainly on rare species, but not exclusively.
NatureServe has collected general
information such as distribution, life history,
and taxonomy on invasive species in the
past, but is beginning to collect even more
55 U.S. programs
8 Canadian programs
11 Latin American /
Caribbean programs
US Virgin Islands
Puerto Rico
NatureServe’s Member Programs:
the Network in 2003
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