The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Protecting Nature Across Borders

Nature doesn’t recognize man’s designation of where one state or country ends and another begins. That’s why The Nature Conservancy works to protect ecologically important areas across their boundaries — so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Berkshire Taconic Landscape

The rolling green hills of the Berkshire Taconic Landscape form a forested backbone that connects northern forests with Appalachia, and create globally rare wetlands that support the greatest concentration of rare species in southern New England. They also provide clean water and flood protection for thousands of citizens. Learn more

Central Appalachians

The Central Appalachians—an ecoregion that spans across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia into Kentucky and Tennessee—act as lungs for the East Coast, offsetting carbon emissions and providing clean air. Learn more

Chesapeake Bay

More than 3,600 plant and animal species thrive in the Chesapeake Bay, an ecoregion with a shoreline longer than the West Coast of the United States, and that comprises Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Learn more

Colorado River

This iconic Western waterway is home to more than 25 fish species found nowhere else, and provides recreation and clean water from Nevada to New Mexico. The Nature Conservancy has a history of working on the Colorado River and its tributaries in six of the basin states and is uniquely poised to share and demonstrate knowledge gained through on-the-ground work. Learn more

Eastern United States Marine

This region—which stretches from Cape Hatteras in North Carolina to the northern limit of the Gulf of Maine in Canadian waters—contains a mosaic of critical habitats that support a wide range of ecologically, commercially and recreationally important species. Learn more

Great Lakes

These lakes, rivers and wetlands cover eight states and two countries. As the world’s largest freshwater resource, The Nature Conservancy is working to ensure that the Great Lakes watershed is among the most effectively managed ecosystems on Earth. Learn more

Greater Yellowstone

Yellowstone is twenty-eight million acres of irreplaceable habitats that support one of the largest intact collections of wildlife and animal species in the lower 48 United States. But an increase in development on crucial-yet-unprotected wintering grounds within Yellowstone has sparked land-use conflicts. The Nature Conservancy is working with a variety of interested parties to protect the most crucial habitats for future generations. Learn more

Gulf of Maine

The Gulf of Maine's waters and shores host over 2,000 species of plants and animals, but today, the Gulf is showing signs of distress—due to habitat loss, decline of fish populations and increased storm surges and sea levels. The Nature Conservancy is working to identify threats to conservation targets in the region and establish a baseline that will help us develop conservation strategies tailored to the Gulf. Learn more

Gulf of Mexico

The Nature Conservancy has been part of the Gulf Coast community for more than 35 years and works in every Gulf state, from Florida to Texas and even Mexico and the Caribbean. From restoring habitat after the BP Oil Spill, to helping create and expand state parks and national wildlife refuges, the Conservancy works with partners to restore the Gulf’s most important habitats, and the benefits they bring to people. Learn more