What We Do

The Biological Resources Division (BRD) works to support parks in restoring and maintaining healthy ecosystems. We do this by caring for the plants, animals, and landscapes within our national parks. BRD is divided into three branches to help achieve the National Park Service mission.

Division Branches

  • A person with sprayer backpack stands by a mountain lake with vegetation in the foreground
    Landscape Restoration and Adaptation

    The Landscape Restoration and Adaptation Branch helps restore disrupted ecological processes and degraded landscapes.

  • Silhouettes of four Sand-hill cranes fly through an orange and yellow sky
    Wildlife Conservation

    The Wildlife Conservation Branch helps park managers conserve at-risk species through science and policy.

  • Gloved scientists hold a ruler next to a bird's feet
    Wildlife Health

    The health of humans, animals and the environment are interconnected. The Wildlife Health Branch helps keep our ecosystems healthy.

Explore stories about biological resources in parks.

Showing results 1-10 of 35

  • Project Profile: Implement Invasive Plant Management in Priority Landscapes to Increase Ecosystem Resiliency & Health

    • Offices: Biological Resources Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate
    Person pulls invasive tamarisk tree slash from the banks of a river

    The National Park Service is enhancing Invasive Plant Management Teams (IPMTs) to provide dedicated support in critical areas across the United States, including imperiled grassland ecosystems, priority eastern and midwestern forests, and southwestern riparian areas, and to implement early detection and rapid response to newly established invasive plant species in Alaska and Hawaii.

  • How to raise your endangered butterfly

    • Locations: San Juan Island National Historical Park
    • Offices: Biological Resources Division

    At San Juan Island National Historic Site, staff are hoping to hatch a survivor.

  • Population Viability Analysis

    • Locations: Badlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Theodore Roosevelt National Park,
    • Offices: Biological Resources Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Wildlife Conservation Branch, Wildlife Health Branch
    Bison Population Viability Study

    This study confirms that management of DOI bison herds in isolation promotes the loss of genetic diversity within all herds. More importantly, this study demonstrates that increased herd size and targeted removal strategies can reduce rates of diversity loss, and that adopting a Departmental metapopulation strategy through facilitated periodic movement of modest numbers of bison among DOI herds (i.e., restoring effective gene flow) can substantially reduce the...

  • Eagles Have Peaceful Easy Feeling

    • Locations: Colonial National Historical Park, Fort Washington Park, National Capital Parks-East, Petersburg National Battlefield, Piscataway Park
    • Offices: Biological Resources Division
    A fluffy black eaglet sit on a towel in the sun

    Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nesting on national park and associated lands in the Chesapeake Bay are doing well. A recent study shows their numbers, once crippled by the effects of the insecticide DDT and other pollutants, are now growing. And juvenile eagles screened for pollutants generally showed low and undetectable exposure levels.

  • Biological Resources Division

    Connected Conservation 101

    • Offices: Biological Resources Division
    fisher released into the snow with crowd of onlookers

    Connected Conservation works to conserve large landscapes and seascapes. See how we do it!

  • How Lake Mead Stopped a Potent Invasive Plant Infestation

    • Locations: Death Valley National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area
    • Offices: Biological Resources Division, Landscape Restoration and Adaptation, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate
    Travis Fulton, LAKE IPMT, controlling fountain grass on a hillside at Joshua Tree National Park.

    Fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum) is an invasive ornamental species planted in several areas of the Southwest. When the staff at Lake Mead discovered the plant near remote mountain springs 12 miles upriver from the original plantings the Lake Mead Invasive Plant Management Team (LAKE IPMT) knew they had to hurry to prevent a dangerous fountaingrass infestation.

  • Around the country with the monarch butterfly

    • Locations: Acadia National Park, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Shenandoah National Park
    • Offices: Biological Resources Division
    A mock monarch selfie at Ozakrs National Scenic Riverways

    It's about to begin! What parks will the monarchs amazing journey take them?

  • Biological Resources Division

    5 ways you can help endangered species in national parks

    • Offices: Biological Resources Division
    A small, green shrub in the rocks

    National parks have a guidelines that not only keep you safe, but also preserve endangered plant and animals species. Find out how you can protect them in parks!

  • Managing Bull Thistle in Disturbed Areas of Lassen Volcanic National Park

    • Locations: Lassen Volcanic National Park
    • Offices: Biological Resources Division
    Bull thistle removal in Lassen Volcanic NP.

    Steve Buckley of the California Exotic Plant Management Team shares a story of success in invasive species management.

  • Biological Resources Division

    Invasive Plant Spotlight: Camelthorn

    • Offices: Biological Resources Division
    Camelthorn with spines

    Camelthorn in the Invasive Plant Species Spotlight!

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Last updated: December 21, 2021

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