Products
We identify issues and uncertainties that pose obstacles to conservation and then—in collaboration with internal and external colleagues—develop science products that help overcome those obstacles.
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Marine | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Prioritizing Bird Conservation Areas in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta
Kristen E. Dybala, Kristin. A. Sesser, Matthew E. Reiter, W. David Shuford, Gregory. H. Golet, Catherine Hickey, and Thomas Gardali
Conserving birds is a key goal for management of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta ecosystem, one of the largest estuaries on the Pacific Coast, and is likely to have effects for populations well…
2023 | Freshwater | Science | Publications & Reports
A decision‐support framework for dam removal planning and its application in northern California
Suman Jumani, Lucy Andrews, Theodore E. Grantham, S. Kyle McKay, Jeffrey Duda, Jeanette Howard
California has a dam problem. Since the start of the 20th century, the state has built thousands of dams on its rivers and streams. Now, more than 75% of the largest dams are greater than 50 years…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
A resilient and connected network of sites to sustain biodiversity under a changing climate
Mark G. Anderson, Melissa Clark, Arlene P. Olivero, and D. Richard Cameron
In response to biodiversity loss, scientists have called for the protection of well-connected systems of protected areas covering 30 to 50% of the planet. However, as climate change drives shifts in…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Stormwater Management
Kristina Kreter, Shona Ganguly, Rowan Roderick-Jones, and Kelsey Jessup
New strategies to address urban runoff management with nature-based approaches offer promising solutions to alleviating climate change impacts—like urban heat, water shortages, and…
2023 | Freshwater | Microsite
Drought Flows Monitor
Julie Zimmerman, Jennifer Carah, Kirk Klausmeyer, Gabe Rossi, Mia Van Docto, Jeanette Howard, Charlie Schneider, Matt Clifford, Monty Schmitt
Drought conditions are occurring with more frequency, greater severity, and longer duration under climate change. Human water use compounds the effects of drought, further stressing California’s…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Expanding the Role of Nature-based Solutions in FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs: Lessons and Recommendations
The Nature Conservancy, radbridge, Earth Economics
FEMA increasingly recognizes and emphasizes the role of nature-based solutions (NBS) for building community resilience to hazards like flood, wildfire, and drought, and the agency has made remarkable…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Marine | Planning | Publications & Reports
Valuing the Flood Reduction Benefits of Marsh Restoration
Taylor-Burns, R., Heard, S., Beck, M. W.
There is growing evidence for the beneficial role that wetlands can play in reducing flood risk, but in many urban estuaries, coastal development has resulted in dramatic habitat loss and…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Marine | Science | Publications & Reports
Conservation Science Catalyst Fund - 2022 Annual Report
The Nature Conservancy deploys science to help overcome major challenges facing people and nature. In today’s fast-paced world, turning threats to nature into opportunities for conservation…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Technology | Science | Publications & Reports
Floristic patterns and conservation values of Mojave and Sonoran desert springs in California
Naomi S. Fraga, Brian S. Cohen, Andy Zdon, Maura Palacios Mejia, Sophie S. Parker
This paper presents novel botanical inventories of 48 desert springs as part of the Mojave Springs Research Project. The authors assess plant species composition and richness within and between…
2023 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Informing waterfowl conservation by determining what habitats are least resilient during times of drought
Erin E. Conlisk, Kristin B. Byrd, Elliot Matchett, Austin A. Lorenz, Michael Casazza, Gregory H. Golet, Mark D. Reynolds, Kristin A. Sesser, and Matthew E. Reiter
Landscape-scale wetland conservation requires understanding how wildlife responds to dynamic freshwater habitat availability. This study examined this for dabbling ducks by comparing habitat…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Environmental & Historic Preservation Primer for Nature-Based Hazard Mitigation
The Nature Conservancy, FEMA, Nonlinear Ventures, radbridge, Earth Economics
To address the increasing risk of catastrophic flooding, wildfire and other climate-related threats, communities are pursuing nature-based solutions (NBS) and seeking FEMA hazard mitigation funds to…
2022 | Freshwater | Science | Publications & Reports
Water balance for gaged watersheds in the Central Sierra Nevada, California and Nevada, United States
James W. Roche, Kristen N. Wilson, Qin Ma, Roger C. Bales
This study evaluated the water balance components of precipitation, evapotranspiration, discharge, and change in storage compared to measured streamflow and unregulated streamflow estimates in the…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Technology | Science | Publications & Reports
Developing an adaptive management approach to cowbird control on the Santa Clara River, California
Sophie S. Parker, Linnea S. Hall, Mary J. Whitfield, Laura Riege, Kathryn R. Selm, René Corado
This paper presents results from a field-based study that can be used to benefit songbirds in riverside habitats like those found along the Santa Clara River in Ventura County, California. Songbirds…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Marine | Science | Publications & Reports
Unlocking FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Funding for Coral Reef Restoration: A Feasibility Study in Maui, Hawaii
UC Santa Cruz (Austen E. Stovall, Michael W. Beck), The Nature Conservancy (Alyssa Mann, Tamaki Bieri), Radbridge/formerly Earth Economics (Johnny Mojica, Rowan Schmidt)
Climate change poses severe threats to coastal communities and the ecosystems on which they depend. Warming ocean temperatures increase the magnitude and frequency of storm and coral bleaching events,…
2022 | Freshwater | Science | Publications & Reports
Water Resources Allocation and Agriculture: Allocations and Environmental Flows
Eric D. Stein, Michael E. McClain, Ashmita Sengupta, Theodore E. Grantham, Julie K.H. Zimmerman, Sarah M. Yarnell
In this chapter of Water Resources Allocation and Agriculture, the authors provide insights on how to integrate environmental flows into water allocation for agriculture across the world. They argue…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Stress Testing the BCA Toolkit with Nature-based Solutions: Observations and Recommendations for FEMA
The Nature Conservancy, Earth Economics
FEMA requires that hazard mitigation projects must be cost-effective to the federal government, as demonstrated in a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA), which compares the present value of a project’s…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Science | Publications & Reports
Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Implications
Sophie S. Parker, Bradley Franklin, Brian S. Cohen, Melissa M. Rohde, Michael Clifford, Andrew Williams
Climate change will cause severe financial, social, and environmental upheaval if a massive reduction in carbon emissions is not achieved by 2030. To address this challenge, rechargeable lithium-ion…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Planning | Science | Publications & Reports
Informing shorebird conservation by determining when and how much habitat is needed in wet and dry years
Gregory. H. Golet, Kristen. E. Dybala, Matthew. E. Reiter, Kristin. A. Sesser, Mark Reynolds, Rodd Kelsey
Shorebirds have declined precipitously in North America in the last 50 years, primarily due to the loss of wetlands. Incentive programs that pay farmers to create temporary wetland habitat on idled…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Marine | Planning | Technology | Science | Publications & Reports
Prioritizing actions: spatial action maps for conservation
Heather Tallis, Joe Fargione, Edward Game, Rob McDonald, Leandro Baumgarten, Nirmal Bhagabati, Rane Cortez, Bronson Griscom, Jonathan Higgins, Christina M. Kennedy, Joe Kiesecker, Timm Kroeger, Trina Leberer, Jennifer McGowan, Lisa Mandle, Yuta J. Masuda, Scott Morrison, Sally Palmer, Rebecca Shirer, Priya Shyamsundar, Nicholas H.Wolff, and Hugh P. Possingham
Spatial analysis is a powerful tool in conservation planning. Yet it is often under-deployed as a means of elucidating which conservation actions may deliver the highest return on investment. This…
2022 | Freshwater | Terrestrial | Publications & Reports
Restoration richness tipping point meta-analysis: finding the sweet spot
Christopher J. Lortie, Maria Florencia Miguel, Alessandro Filazzola, Harry Scott Butterfield
Climate change, drought, and water scarcity are driving major land transformations in dryland ecosystems globally. Historically these ecosystems have been disproportionately degraded due to widespread…