FOR RELEASE: February 7, 1994 CONTACT: Trudy Harlow 202-482-3048
President Clinton's 1995 budget would provide $176.8 million for the National Biological Survey (NBS) to provide the biological research and information necessary for improved management of the Nation's natural resources.
"The research efforts and technology development of the National Biological Survey will provide the tools we need for good management of America's public resources," said George T. Frampton, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. "This investment in proactive science is critical to our understanding of biological systems and the benefits they provide to society. Our objective is to use science to minimize conflicts in natural resource decision making."
The National Biological Survey gathers, analyzes and disseminates biological information about America's natural resources. Later this year and early next year, the Survey will coordinate a national status and trends report assessing the health of America's biological resources. In support of the President's ecosystem initiatives, the NBS will be focusing on a number of ecosystem restoration projects, including South Florida and the Pacific Northwest.
The NBS became operational on November 11, 1993, through a consolidation of biological research projects and personnel from seven Department of the Interior bureaus.
Fact Sheet The national Biological Survey's (NBS) proposed Fiscal year 1995 budget request of &176.8 million shows an overall increase of $9.6 million from the FY 94 budget enacted by Congress.
Research in Support of Ecosystem Management NBS seeks to provide scientific information needed to support ecosystem management. Funding requested for these projects will result in an increase of approximately $5.0 million. This increase will be invested in research for ecosystems such as South Florida, where ecosystem and hydrologic models will be developed and alternatives for hydrological restoration of the Everglades will be analyzed ($2 million). Research on Pacific Northwest ecosystems ($2.2 million) will include evaluation of habitat and resource needs of declining and endangered species, effects of forest and water management practices on the diversity and integrity of ecosystems, and development of watershed-scale models to guide management of critical ecosystem in the region. Other funds (+$.3 million) will specifically support research to find technologies to slow the decline of selected U.S. species and to begin finding solutions for habitat deterioration of those species experiencing the largest declines.
Status and Trends of Biological ResourcesEvery two years, NBS will publish a comprehensive review of available information on the status and trends of the Nation's biological diversity. Proposed additional funding (+$.9 million) will provide for more rapid development and testing of a new national Inventory and Monitoring program, and integration of existing NBS programs such as Gap Analysis (GAP), The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST), with programs of other agencies (e.g., the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment [NAWQA] program, the Natural Heritage Network which is coordinated by The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program [EMAP], and programs of the U.S. Forest Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]).
Information and Technology TransferThe budget provides an increase of $4.0 million in resources necessary to continue development of an information technology infrastructure which is a critical tool in the task of organizing and integrating existing information and coordinating future data and exchange for informed policy decisions. As supported by the National Research Council in its October 5, 1993, report, A Biological Survey for the Nation," a distributed electronic information network is needed to help organize and integrate, make accessible, and use effectively all existing sources of knowledge.
Ecosystem/State CooperationHighlighted under information and technology transfer, the NBS will initiate ecosystem and state partnership projects. Designed to develop partnerships with state government to increase biological data coordination, transfer and access among multiple users, state projects will facilitate communication between decisionmakers and information users. A series of regional or ecosystem-oriented projects also will make current information more accessible and help identify and fill major gaps.
Non-native SpeciesNon-native species research will represent a particular thrust of importance to resource managers. NBS scientists will research and conduct inventories to minimize the economic and ecological harm caused by introduced species. In this area, NBS will work to integrate existing programs formerly conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and others.
Cooperative Research Units