Science

Members of the Southern Shortgrass Ecoregional Assessment Team © Jim Bergan

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To help fulfill that mission, the Conservancy relies heavily on science. We use science to help us determine what needs to be conserved, where, and how. We also use science to evaluate our on-the-ground efforts, to tell us if we are preserving biodiversity. In addition, the Conservancy’s scientists and field conservation staff add to the overall body of scientific knowledge regarding the natural world; conducting and supporting research, both in Texas and worldwide. Much of the information produced by the Texas science and stewardship program is available to the public, researchers, and academic institutions.

Science is connected to everything we do at the Conservancy, and the science program is similarly comprised of interrelated components. There are four main branches within the Texas science program: the Texas Natural History Survey, Geographic Information Systems, Conservation Planning and Stewardship, Monitoring and Research.

Data from the field: Texas Natural History Survey
Mapping and spatial analysis: GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
Planning conservation: Ecoregional Assessments and Conservation Area Plans
Putting science to work for conservation: Stewardship, Monitoring & Applied Research

All of these branches work in an interdisciplinary fashion to produce, analyze, and use scientific knowledge for conservation. Our Fire Ecology and Management program is also tied directly to our statewide science and stewardship program. In summary, every dollar invested into our science program is probably the most leveraged dollar that a donor can provide to The Nature Conservancy since science directs how we invest in biodiversity conservation wherever we work.

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Spotlight on Science:

A Mad Island Marsh Christmas Bird Count
Prescribed burn conducted on 100 acres at Barton Creek - watch News 8 Austin's TV coverage
Conserving Seagrass in the Laguna Madre
Fort Hood Program
Fire Management, Climate Change, Freshwater, Marine, Invasive Species: worldwide conservation initiatives run by the Conservancy

For Researchers:
Conservation by Design Research Program - Grant opportunities and selected past projects

Other Science Links