How to Use This
InSite by NatureServe gives you a clear, science-based snapshot of nature-related risks and values for any site across the U.S.Here’s How to Get the Most From it
1. Start with the Overview
Review the site’s InSite scores, which combine key biodiversity indicators — including species extinction risk, ecosystem rarity, and ecosystem condition — into a single, easy-to-compare result.
2. Explore the Details
Dive into the underlying metrics to understand what’s driving the score. Learn which at-risk species may be present, what ecosystems warrant special management, and how the site stacks up against others in the region.
3. Compare Across Sites
Use InSite’s consistent framework to compare biodiversity value across multiple locations — helping prioritize areas for conservation and restoration, and better understand development risks.
4. Take Action
Apply the site-specific insights to guide planning, avoid risks, and support nature-positive strategies. Tap into the expertise of the NatureServe Network by following links to deeper data or connecting with local programs and scientists who can provide tailored, on-the-ground guidance.
5. Report Results
Use InSite metrics, which are aligned with the Science Based Targets Framework and Nature Positive Initiative, to report on biodiversity performance and meet disclosure frameworks like Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
6. Stay Informed
Check back regularly for updates as NatureServe integrates new data and expands the platform’s capabilities over time. Need further guidance, expertise, or analysis? Contact NatureServe’s science team.
How Corporations and NGOs Can Apply InSite
Early Screening of Biodiversity-Related Risk
Apply InSite to identify and compare site-level biodiversity risks to help prioritize locations that are potentially less ecologically sensitive for high-impact activities. While not a replacement for local input and review, InSite provides an early, valuable perspective on site-level risks and connects users to state-level data for deeper insights.
Support Sustainable Forestry and Land Management
Meet standards like those set by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) by using InSite to identify areas supporting globally critically imperiled (G1) and imperiled (G2) species and ecosystems. Access linked resources and state-level data to inform sustainable management practices.
Advance Nature Positive Strategies
Align corporate operations with nature-positive goals by using InSite to identify key species and ecosystems for stewardship. Combine InSite insights with global frameworks like STAR (Species Threat Abatement and Restoration) and tools like the Americas Biodiversity Metric to track and demonstrate progress toward positive biodiversity outcomes.
Evaluate Supply Chain Biodiversity Risk
Apply InSite at the sourcing-area scale — such as around a mill or extraction site — to identify biodiversity risks in the supply chain. Use these insights to guide avoidance, mitigation, or responsible sourcing strategies.
Prioritize Conservation Investments
Leverage InSite to identify high-biodiversity-value sites and guide strategic conservation investments. Use the report to communicate about the importance of places you work to donors, stakeholders, and funders, and to generate baseline data for effective management planning.
What is NOT in the Report
InSite by NatureServe provides a high-level, nationally consistent overview of biodiversity values, focusing on globally imperiled species, at-risk ecosystems, and broad indicators of ecosystem condition. However, some elements of biodiversity, including state-regulated species, locally rare but globally common species, unique local ecosystems, and ecological connectivity, are not fully captured.
While InSite offers a valuable landscape-scale perspective, site-level decisions often require more detailed information. NatureServe and its Network Programs offer complementary resources, including precise species and ecosystem location data, threat analyses, climate vulnerability assessments, and standardized methods for evaluating and monitoring ecological integrity. These data and tools should be used to refine risk assessments and guide targeted conservation or restoration efforts.
To gain a more complete understanding of biodiversity values, users are highly encouraged to supplement InSite results with local and state-level data available through NatureServe Network Programs and other state agencies. Use the links provided in your InSite report to learn more.
