Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my subscription?

When you purchase the InSite by NatureServe Essentials Package, your subscription is valid for one year. At this time, we don’t offer prorated refunds or partial credits if you decide to cancel before the year is up.

If you currently have a Basic Package and would like to upgrade to an Essentials Package, you can apply a credit equal to 50% of the cost of your Basic Package toward your upgrade (for purchases made within the same calendar year).

If you’re interested in upgrading, please contact us at InSiteSupport@natureserve.org, and our team will help you apply your credit.

Does a subscription cover individuals or organizations?

The InSite by NatureServe Essentials Package allows for enterprise access for multiple users in an organization. Individuals can also purchase the Essentials Package, or they can purchase a Basic Package, which offers the option of a single report or bundles of 5 or 10 site reports.

Note: the Terms of Use prohibit using InSite for consulting services on behalf of other organizations. Subscriptions are intended only for use within your own organization. If you are interested in using InSite for consulting purposes, please contact us to discuss appropriate options.

What does an InSite report include?

Each site report provides a high-level evaluation of your location along with actionable insights. Reports include:

• An overall biodiversity value score for your site.
• A breakdown of the factors driving biodiversity value (focusing on globally imperiled species, at-risk ecosystems, and broad indicators of ecosystem condition).
• Comparative insights on how the site compares to national and state average values, helping you prioritize areas for conservation and assess potential development risks.
• Information on whether any species listed under the Endangered Species Act, or considered globally imperiled, have been documented at or near the site (within ~1 square mile).
• A list of species of conservation interest documented or modeled to occur in the vicinity of the site (up to a distance of ~25 miles).
• Place-based recommendations to guide your next steps on the path to nature positive impacts.
• Links to additional data and resources from the NatureServe Network for deeper exploration.

How can I use InSite by NatureServe?

InSite helps organizations identify biodiversity risks, support sustainable land management, align with nature-positive goals, evaluate supply chain biodiversity risk, and prioritize conservation investments. It offers early, science-based insights to guide smarter decisions at the site level. Learn more on our How to Use This page.

What is the maximum area size I can run the report on?

You can run the report on areas up to 16,000 square miles. If a larger area is selected, the system will display an error message indicating the area is too large.

Where can I run a report?

Reports can be run for locations within the contiguous United States, including up to 12 nautical miles offshore from the U.S. coastline.

How often is the data updated?

InSite brings together information from many different sources, each updated on its own schedule. Species data is refreshed every month, extinction risk data is updated every few months, and ecosystem extent and condition data are updated less regularly, without a set timetable. Visit our About the Data page to learn more.

Where do the data in the report come from? Are there data gaps?

InSite by NatureServe draws from 50 years of biodiversity data collection and conservation status assessment by NatureServe and the NatureServe Network. The information in the report is sourced from documented occurrence data for at-risk species collected by our Network partners, predictive species habitat models built by NatureServe, predicted ecosystem distributions, and a model of landscape condition.

Users should be aware of certain data gaps. Documented occurrence data is not available for many private lands; habitat models are used to fill in information for these areas but the provided counts of documented species should not be interpreted as guaranteeing absence. Data for at-risk invertebrates is also incomplete, and some states (namely Arizona, Rhode Island, Wyoming, and the District of Colombia) did not share documented occurrence information for incorporation into the report. In those cases, species metrics are based on predicted habitat alone.

Why might results from InSite differ from local or state biodiversity prioritizations or other tools?

InSite by NatureServe provides a nationally consistent view of biodiversity values and risks, built from standardized data and methods. This consistency is essential for comparing sites and informing decisions that span multiple regions or jurisdictions.

However, achieving national consistency means that not all locally available data or state-specific priorities are integrated into InSite metrics. In contrast, state and regional prioritizations often use finer-scale data, local expertise, and unique conservation values that capture details not reflected in a national model.

These two approaches are designed to complement each other:

• InSite offers a broad, comparable baseline for understanding biodiversity patterns at a national scale.
• Local and state tools add the depth and nuance needed for site-level or jurisdiction-specific decision-making.

What if I want to do a deeper dive?

The best source for detailed information on a particular site if most often the state programs listed on the front page of your report. Follow the provided links to contact those programs for site-specific details.

For species and ecosystem information that span multiple jurisdictions, NatureServe can help. We provide licensed access to precise, multi-jurisdictional species and ecosystem data, as well as custom analyses and biodiversity science expertise. that can. Visit here to learn more or fill out a custom data request form to begin a conversation.

When more information about biodiversity is needed.

If you are interested in a deeper dive For more information about your site, fill out a custom data request.

To get one-one-one help interpreting your report, consider purchasing the Ask a Scientist add-on. It includes a one-hour consulting session with a NatureServe scientist and limited e-mail follow-up.

I’m with a nonprofit — how do I receive the 20% discount?

A 20% discount is available for verified nonprofits on the Basic Package and the Essentials Package. Please contact InSiteSupport@natureserve.org. to learn more about this option.