What is Biodiversity?

Citizen scientists monitoring butterflies at the Terra Vista Natural Study Area provide important data for the habitat restoration team.

For Cleveland’s 225th anniversary, park staff tracked down the last Moses Cleaveland Tree living in Cuyahoga Valley.

During the summer of 2017, the CCRLC hosted two BioBlitz events: the Waterton-Glacier Mushroom BioBlitz and the Waterton-Glacier Butterfly BioBlitz. Nearly 150 participants joined in helping resource managers gather data on the diverse array of fungus and butterfly species found in Glacier National Park.

The Inventory and Monitoring Division explored the effects of the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires on trout, their habitat, and their food sources in Rocky Mountain National Park. The results show that high-elevation trout are resilient, providing valuable insight for park managers making conservation decisions.

War in the Pacific National Historical Park is working to protect Guam’s biodiversity by managing invasive species like brown tree snakes and little fire ants while safeguarding native wildlife, including the endangered Guam tree snail. A recent study assessed the park’s Guam tree snail population, providing essential data to inform conservation efforts aimed at restoring the island’s fragile ecosystem.

The Columbia Sensitive Resource Zone in Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a case study in trying to find a sustainable balance between resource conservation and recreation. Learn more about the sensitive resource zone and how park visitors can engage in shared stewardship.

When the howling started in predawn darkness, natural sound recordist Jacob Job signaled to his research assistant to stop. Wolves. Cold and crouched in snow in the remote backcountry of the park with microphones and recording gear to the ready, the Colorado State University (CSU) scientists waited and listened. Silence. Then … the stealthy sound of crunching footsteps approaching.

A new partnership began in October 2021 and supports science and stewardship activities that benefit both parks and their local communities. Over the next five years parks and their communities will collaborate to identify and address their scientific priorities. Projects in the first year will focus on water quality, marine biodiversity, and preservation of night skies.

Through the power of partnerships, the Dragonfly Mercury Project elevated the importance of a commonly found insect. It also showed that citizen science can be a potent research tool.

Wildly popular Rocky Mountain National Park wanted to assess the extent of resource damage from all that love. It needed the help of some ardent supporters.