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.

Graph courtesy of the Center for Biological Diversity

A public lands sell-off is struck from the G.O.P. policy bill*

Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, said late Saturday that he had dropped his contentious plan to sell millions of acres of public lands from the sweeping domestic policy package that the Senate narrowly passed on Tuesday. Mr. Lee made the nighttime announcement on social media after it became clear that the plan faced insurmountable opposition from within his own party.

Photo courtesy of Kara Dobson/ The LTER Network

Some studies might not paint full picture of how plants respond to climate change

A team from Michigan State University synthesized data from 126 simulated warming experiments to provide insights into how plants respond to a hotter climate. In their findings, they learned scientists may be underestimating how plants respond to rising global temperatures when they study hot summers but not warming winters.

Photo courtesy of Indiana DNR Division of Nature Preserves

Conservation in action: How Central Indiana Land Trust is protecting Broken Cliff

Central Indiana Land Trust acquired a 2.6-acre site designated as a high priority for conservation. Broken Cliff is home to Spreading rock cress (Arabis patens), a globally rare and critically imperiled plant. The land trust will protect and manage this site in perpetuity for the benefit of this rare plant.

Celebrating environmental wins from Delaware's 2025 Legislative Session

The 2025 Legislative Session for Delaware’s General Assembly ended June 30 with a wave of major environmental wins, according to The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The strong bipartisan support for these measures will protect Delaware’s natural resources and communities for years to come.

In Other News

Toll road route could harm endangered plant found only in northeast Polk County

Western states step up to save their wetlands *

Scientists thrilled after finding elusive 'tiny mystery' flower thriving in unexpected location: 'There's still hope'

Mass Ready Act Filed by Governor Healey Aims to Strengthen Biodiversity and Habitat Restoration Across Massachusetts

Uniting agriculture and conservation in Iowa

Lawsuit Seeks Protection for Rare Desert Wetland Wildflower (Chloropyron tecopense) in Nevada, California

Leveraging Generative AI: Applications for the LTER Network

Alabama prepares conservation plan for the next decade

A Win for Farmers and Tribes Brings New Hope to the Klamath

Part of the New York City Park Experience: Joining the War on Invasives

United States Justice Department says Trump can cancel national monuments that protect landscapes

This Georgia plan could help conserve 1,000+ species. What to know.

Petition seeking to make Hughes land a natural area has enough signatures to get on ballot *

City of Portland releases Proposed Draft to create new standards for approving public infrastructure projects located in natural areas

Nature-based climate solutions can help mitigate the radiative forcing that follows deforestation

Advancing the EcoVeg Approach as a Terrestrial Ecosystem Typology: From Global Biomes to Local Plant Communities

The future Prairie Pothole Region: scenarios of change

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Recent YouTube Releases

Case Studies in Nature-Based Approaches to Restore Watersheds

June 27, 2025

New Interest in Old Forests

June 20, 2025

Forest Restoration - Stewards Circle

June 13, 2025

Job Opportunities

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Need a Job? Be sure to stay in touch with the Job Board positions that are being updated regularly.

Funding Opportunities

NAA is open to strategic partnerships.

Consider including NAA in your BLM grant proposal.

Protecting land and water biodiversity requires quality science to inform practices on the ground. NAA curates and shares relevant and timely programs and resources with practitioners who are responsible for the ecological resilience and protection of natural areas in perpetuity. It was this truth that established Natural Areas Association (NAA) in the early 1970’s and it remains NAA’s mission today.

If you are working on proposal and would like to consider partnering with NAA to ensure that what is learned is shared with the practitioner community, please contact us at info@naturalareas.org.

Bureau of Land Management Funding Opportunities

Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Lands | Management Studies Support Program

Deadline: July 11, 2025

Bureau of Land Management Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management

Deadline: July 11, 2025

Bureau of Land Management | Youth Conservation Corps

Deadline: July 11, 2025

Bureau of Land Management Forest and Woodlands Resource Management

Deadline: July 23, 2025

Bureau of Land Management Invasive and Noxious Plant Management

Deadline: July 23, 2025

Bureau of Land Management Plant Conservation and Restoration Management