The US-based nonprofit NatureServe has introduced ‘The Map of Biodiversity Importance’, a tool that reveals the first high-resolution view of where the country’s most imperiled species are found. This technology draws on the computational resources and the experience of NatureServe, Esri, the Nature Conservancy, and Microsoft’s AI for Earth program to integrate over forty years of data and deep knowledge from the NatureServe Network.
The ‘Map of Biodiversity Importance’ will help resource managers and conservationists with vital information that are required to strategically address the extinction crisis.
According to Sean T.O’Brien, President and CEO of NatureServe, -“Our analytics indicate nearly ninety percent of the human population in the lower 48 states live within 30 miles of an area of high importance to biodiversity conservation. These findings illustrate our nation’s rich biodiversity and how closely connected we are to its future well-being.”
The map helps conservationists uncover places that harbor the most at-risk species that are outside the nationally protected areas.
“When we think of biodiversity, we may reflect on tropical rainforests or coral reefs, where the richness of life is indeed staggering,” Dr. Healy Hamilton said. “But our own country harbors globally significant biodiversity. The findings from The Map of Biodiversity Importance show us areas critical for preventing extinction across the nation,” she added further.
