Help Shape ESA’s Comments on the National Nature Assessment’s Annotated Outline

Posted by Public Affairs on September 27, 2024

In response to the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s request for public comment, the Ecological Society of America is seeking input from the ecological community on the recently released annotated outline of the first National Nature Assessment. Your feedback will help shape ESA’s official comments on this crucial document, which aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the status and trends of U.S. lands, waters and wildlife and the benefits they provide to society.

Learn more about the National Nature Assessment here.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to fill out ESA’s comment form. Your input is vital to ensuring that ecologists’ perspectives are well-represented in this national effort. The deadline to complete the ESA form is October 29, 2024.

You can access the annotated outline (AKA the Zero-Order Draft) via the USGCRP Review & Comment System. You will need to create an account and log in to view the document.

As you craft your comments, consider addressing:

Proposed chapter topics you like
Chapter topics you think are missing
Ways to make a chapter or the assessment as a whole more useful

In addition to participating in ESA’s collective comments, we also encourage individuals to submit their own comments directly via the USGCRP’s comment and review system. By doing so, you’ll contribute to a broader discussion that will influence the development of the National Nature Assessment. The deadline for direct submissions is November 4, 2024.

This is a unique opportunity for ecologists to influence a landmark assessment that will shape U.S. environmental policy. We value your expertise and hope you will take the time to provide your input.

Use this link to submit comments via ESA’s feedback form by October 29.

Share this article

News

COP16 Dispatch: Week 2 From the Classroom to the Conference Floor, A Student’s Journey in Biodiversity Diplomacy

At COP16, Alexa Theodoropoulos balanced schoolwork with engaging in key biodiversity discussions. She witnessed the urgency of action and the crucial role of youth in shaping global commitments. While progress was made, she emphasizes that accountability is essential and that students have a responsibility to ensure these goals lead to real change.

Read Post
COP16 Dispatch: Week 2 Open Source and LLMs, Reflections from the Back Row of COP16

Cristian Román shares unique insights from attending COP16 in Cali, Colombia, exploring the interplay of science, policy, and equity. Highlights include challenges with proprietary biodiversity tools, ethical concerns surrounding AI in policy compliance, and academia’s role in negotiations, raising critical questions about accessibility, collaboration, and power dynamics.

Read Post
COP16 Dispatch: Week 2 How Does Science Participate in the Biodiversity Convention? The Case of Invasive Species at COP16

At COP16 in Cali, October 2024, Alejandra Osejo-Varona, PhD Candidate in Anthropology at Rice University, shares insights on how scientists and decision-makers collaborated to address invasive alien species (IAS). The conference presented scientific tools and assessments, such as the IPBES report and IUCN toolkit, to guide the implementation of Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Read Post
COP16 Dispatch: Week 1 From the talk to the World, Women Scientists Discuss Citizen Science

Women scientists and community leaders are reshaping conservation through citizen science, integrating Indigenous knowledge, and advocating for policy change. At COP16-Columbia, Cindy Julianty and Tanya Majdumar showcased how grassroots initiatives led by women empower local communities, preserve biodiversity, and ensure sustainable conservation efforts. Their stories highlight resilience, innovation, and a call for global action.

Read Post

View All News

Archived News

Join ESA

The Ecological Society of America is a community of 9,000 scientists, researchers, decision makers, policy managers, and educators who are dedicated to understanding life on earth. We are an advocate for ecology and a voice for ecologists. ESA strengthens connections within and outside our community to support your work and promotes ecological science. As our discipline expands its boundaries with new ideas, new experimental tools, and the recruitment of young scientists, we hope you will join us!