Natural Areas Association (NAA) is an association of scientists and practitioners focused on the management of ecologically significant natural landscapes with the intent to protect biodiversity for current and future generations. Natural Areas News is your trusted resource for current events, reliable science, conservation success, emerging challenges, best practices, and achievements of those who work daily to preserve natural areas.

Photo courtesy of USGS/Public Domain

Native plant materials are essential to restoring and sustaining healthy ecosystems, especially as climate change is accelerating biodiversity loss and habitat degradation. When restoring land that has been damaged, it is important to use adapted native seeds from the same region or ecologically similar area to improve the success and long-term sustainability of these efforts. Using adapted native seeds also ensures that ecosystems will recover in ways that improve their ecological function.

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS South Dakota

A new international study featuring faculty at Binghamton University found that fertilizer can help plants survive short-term periods of extreme drought. During the study, researchers increased nutrient availability through field experiments, and found that drought alone reduced plant growth by 19%, but adding fertilizer increased plant growth by 24%.

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS South Dakota

Habitat destruction has been the most common threat to endangered species in the U.S. since 1975. If the Trump administration succeeds in redefining harm, the Endangered Species Act won’t be able to effectively protect most endangered species. The fact that much of the act’s power can be destroyed by tweaking its definition of one phrase reveals its central weakness.

NAA's partners in Asheville, NC, are launching the 2025 Rivercane Gathering Webinar series on June 12, 2025. Each session will include learning, dialogue, and the sharing of knowledge centered on rivercane and its care, protection and renewal. This is an opportunity to learn, share and discuss rivercane stewardship, and cultural importance and restoration approaches that combine Indigenous Knowledge and western science.

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Funding Opportunities

Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund

Deadline: July 15, 2025

Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund

Deadline: November 15, 2025

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