NatureServe Information:

A Critical Military Resource

he U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has long recognized the integral relationship between sustaining military readiness and conserving natural resources, both within and beyond its fencelines. DoD lands cover nearly 30 million acres from mountaintop to desert to shorelinea range of terrain and climate that enables soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines to train in settings like those where duty may call them to fight. These same lands also provide habitat for an array of natural resources that includes The mission of the hundreds of at-risk and federally listed plants and animals and rare habitats that need Department of Defense is protection. more than aircraft, guns, and missiles. Part of the defense job is protecting he iliTary s iodiversiTy upporT eaM the waters, timber, and Like any effective military strategy, natural resource management thrives on the wildlife, the priceless quality, availability, and consistency of the information on which decisions are based. natural resources that But collecting and maintaining biodiversity information is not the core mission of make this great nation of DoD. The most cost-effective way for DoD to balance competing interests in planning ours worth defending. and implementing biodiversity conservation strategies is through a broad, ongoing General Thomas D. partnership with NatureServe and its nationwide network of natural heritage programs. White, former Air Force NatureServe built, manages, and maintains the most comprehensive, high-quality Chief of Staff data available on the location and status of plants, animals, and ecosystems of concern to the military. This information relies on rigorous scientific methods and quality control, and represents more than 35 years of field inventory, data collection, and analysis of species and ecosystems by NatureServe and its nationwide network of member programs. NatureServes accompanying tools, expertise, and extensive data on non-military lands are essential resources for the development and implementation of useful Integrated Resource Management Plans (INRMPs), and for evaluating potential acquisitions under the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI) to control encroachments that threaten the future viability of installations.

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Together, DoD and NatureServe can implement a variety of practices that protect and manage our natural resources:

The NatureServe network provides DoD with access to reliable, verifiable, and relevant biological information in every state. Installations all across America depend on NatureServe data, tools, and expertise to balance multiple-use alternatives that yield optimal results. Responsible development of solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuel energy sources requires protection of vulnerable natural resources and habitat while we will seek to move toward energy security and independence.

iMprove evaluaTions of proposed land and waTer uses

For both military strategy and climate change, it is more effective to defend stable situations and engage known enemies. NatureServe data and tools can help DoD understand the needs of species and habitats threatened by the impact of climate change and contribute to proactive management decisions that reduce, mitigate, or adapt to these threats.

address and plan for The iMpacTs of cliMaTe change

Staff from the Kansas Biological Survey, a NatureServe member program, help MSgt Kurt Keeler conduct a botanical survey of the Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range. (Photo: Doug Ripley.)

NatureServe products and services help streamline resources management decisions by ensuring efficient access to data that helps create defensible INRMPs and monitor compliance. Partnering with NatureServe enables DoD to leverage the states on-the-ground investment in biodiversity information while decreasing costly redundancies stemming from duplicative programs.

lower The cosTs of planning efforTs

As installations become islands within seas of fragmenting development, DoD increasingly relies on its ability to protect buffer lands that limit encroachment. NatureServes ability to provide access to detailed information about ecological relationships with adjacent lands is a critical service that helps DoD and its partners target and protect appropriate buffer areas through REPI.

expand knowledge ouTside The fenceline

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The practice of biodiversity conservation fosters goodwill within communities surrounding military installations, which in turn engenders public support for the military mission. Working with NatureServe ensures that DoD relies on a credible source of reliable scientific information that strengthens public trust. Co-investment in developing data also increases the militarys collective knowledge about important biological resources near its installations.

enhance relaTions wiTh neighBors

NatureServe and its network of member programs provide an array of data, tools, and services that help the military defend our natural resources. (Map: Number of Species at Risk on DoD Installations; NatureServe. Publication: Conserving Biodiversity on Military Lands: A Guide for Natural Resources Managers; NatureServe.)

Compliance with laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act can be a continuous balancing act. Working with DoD, NatureServe identifies and maps at-risk species to help prescribe proactive management actions that decrease the likelihood of future listing and regulation and conserve species before they become rarer and more costly to protect. By managing habitats to keep these populations healthy, the military maintains greater flexibility for its operations.

reduce The proBaBiliTy of fuTure regulaTion

Military budgets for resources management are extremely tight. Data and tools like NatureServes conservation status assessments and NatureServe Climate Change Vulnerability Index help natural resources managers identify species and ecosystems that most need conservation attention. Our expert analysis can also provide the common basis for establishing consistent priorities and building multi-stakeholder consensus.

MaxiMize The iMpacT of liMiTed resources

For More Information:

Leslie Honey Vice President of Conservation Services 703-908-1858 leslie_honey@ natureserve.org

Working with the DoD Legacy Resource Management Program, NatureServe updated and maintains DoDs own guide for implementing biodiversity conservation strategies at the installation level. Conserving Biodiversity on Military Lands: A Guide for Natural Resources Managers (www. dodbiodiversity.org) also serves as a valuable tool to inform DoD leaders and stakeholders about the critical need to maintain natural resources in order to successfully meet the primary military function of DoD lands.

Build inTernal capaciTy and experTise

gloBal vision, local resulTs

As an international organization, NatureServe brings a big-picture perspective to the table when solving installationlevel challenges. As the militarys biodiversity support team, we have the ability to deploy local experts on the ground and to provide a rangewide view of how species and habitats are faring. This 360 knowledge empowers the military to meet natural resource management challenges at any level, and to focus with added confidence on its core mission of military readiness. NatureServe www.natureserve.org November 2011