About
NatureServe is an Arlington, Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to unlocking the power of science to guide biodiversity conservation. For five decades, NatureServe and its network have provided essential biodiversity data that guides conservation efforts across North America, uniting experts and organizations to help protect species, ecosystems, and the natural world for future generations.
What they do
NatureServe's work centers on producing and delivering authoritative scientific data about at-risk species and ecosystems:
- Classifying biodiversity: developing standards for identifying species and ecosystems, including co-releasing Version 3.0 of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification with the Ecological Society of America, USGS, and the U.S. Forest Service
- Mapping biodiversity: producing location-specific data, including the Map of Biodiversity Importance created with Esri, The Nature Conservancy, and the NatureServe Network to pinpoint the places that matter most for sustaining biodiversity in the United States
- Assessing biodiversity status and threats: assigning conservation status ranks (from Secure to Imperiled) to species and ecosystems to focus attention on the most imperiled
- Data products and tools: NatureServe Explorer, a free searchable conservation database covering more than 100,000 plants, animals, and ecosystems; NatureServe Explorer Pro; and InSite by NatureServe, a tool providing instant site-level biodiversity intelligence for any location in the lower 48 United States
The NatureServe Network
NatureServe coordinates a network of more than 60 member programs in the United States and Canada — including natural heritage programs and NatureServe Canada — whose local expertise ensures accurate biodiversity data collection, assessment, and application. The network informs conservation decisions at local, regional, and global scales.
History
NatureServe traces its roots to the founding of the NatureServe Network in 1974, and its 2024 Annual Report marks five decades of progress, including the launch of the NatureServe Explorer database in 2000. The IRS granted the organization tax-exempt status in July 1995, per ProPublica.
Scale and impact
Figures NatureServe publishes about its data and reach:
- More than 60 member programs in the United States and Canada
- About 1,000 scientific experts and conservation professionals across the network
- 100,000 species and 7,000 ecosystems tracked and classified in its database
- More than 1,000,000 mapped locations
- Around 900,000 annual users of NatureServe tools, including NGOs, state agencies, federal land managers, and businesses
Financials
According to its Form 990 data on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, for the fiscal year ending June 2025 NatureServe reported total revenue of $8,529,867 and total expenses of $9,124,307, with net assets of $2,566,227. Program services provided about 53.6 percent of revenue and contributions about 40.8 percent. NatureServe files federal single audits as an organization spending $750,000 or more in federal grant money annually.