Conservation Science

Conservation Science

Protecting nature is what we do. Science shows us how. We tell the stories behind Nature Conservancy science — from the field to the research lab, and everywhere in between.

From the Field

We get our boots dirty. Join us as we cover science in action, from stormwater drains to the Indonesian rainforest..

Palmyra Atoll: An Angler’s Experience Fishing for Science

A passion for fishing remote places leads this global fishing guide to Palmyra Atoll.

Francois Botha

Call Boxes & Crow Effigies: Protecting Nesting Birds in Cape May

TNC is using call boxes, fake effigies, and bird decoys to protect nesting shorebirds on Cape May.

Matthew L. Miller

To Help Iconic Trees, Inject Them With Disease

To save American elms, conservationists are quite literally injecting disease into the trees. This Q&A explains why.

Jenny Rogers

How Living Cover Could Help Heal the U.S. Corn Belt

Regenerative ag practices—like cover crops, agroforestry, and pastured livestock—could reduce nitrate loss, erosion and emissions.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Three New Natural History Books for August

Stunning photos of fungi, botanical essays, and stories from the Australia’s natural history collections.

Justine E. Hausheer

Climate Mitigation Depends on Seed-Dispersing Wildlife

A new study finds that the loss of seed-dispersing species in tropical forests more than halves the potential for areas of natural regrowth to sequester carbon.

Justine E. Hausheer

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Science for Strategy

Science is strategy. Learn from 600 scientists & our partners researching the best way to protect nature.

The Power of the Emerald Edge

Old-growth forests in the Emerald Edge store carbon, support biodiversity, and sustain Indigenous stewardship.

The Editors

Strictly Protected Marine Areas Can Effectively Deter Most Industrial Fishing

Industrial fishing vessels in fully and highly protected marine areas occur about 9 times less frequently than in unprotected surrounding waters.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Meet the Tuatara: New Zealand’s Bizarre Ancient Reptile

Join ecologists as they search for tuatara — one of the world’s most unique reptiles —in the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.

Justine E. Hausheer

Extraterrestrial Impact: Rare Geological Find Provides Evidence of  “Unimaginable Devastation”

An extraordinary find at North Carolina’s Paint Farm reveals evidence of one of the largest extraterrestrial impacts to ever hit the planet.

Matthew L. Miller

A Bird’s Eye View: Drones Search for Grassland Birds in Colorado

At The Nature Conservancy’s Carpenter Ranch Preserve, drones assist in the search for grassland birds.

Lucy Haggard

A Partnership for a Healthier Appalachian Forest

Restoring a healthy Appalachian forest has many benefits, for wildlife and local communities.

Matthew L. Miller

Science Brief

Your hub for the latest peer-reviewed research powering conservation action.

Young Forests Are an Overlooked Climate Solution

New research by TNC scientists provides the first detailed picture of the carbon removal value of naturally regrowing forests

Justine E. Hausheer

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Sun on the Water: How to Plan for a Renewable Energy Future That Floats

The expansion of floating photovoltaics could provide renewable energy while also sparing land. But there are still many unknowns.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Minimizing Tradeoffs Between Crop Yields and Climate Benefits

Research pinpoints where regenerative agriculture practices can have the most benefits for climate change mitigation and crop production.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief

One Size Does Not Fit All for Sustainable Livestock Production

Understanding economic, environmental, and social and cultural contexts is essential to achieving sustainable livestock production.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Coconut Palms Dominate Over Half of Pacific Atoll Forests

First study of its kind shows that decades of coconut palm agriculture have led to deforestation on over 80 percent of Pacific atolls, and coconut palms now cover more than half of the atolls’ forested areas.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief

Fish Aggregating Devices Could Enhance the Effectiveness of Blue Water Marine Protected Areas

Research from TNC’s Palmyra Atoll suggests fish aggregating devices could increase the time mobile species spend within blue water MPAs.

Cara Cannon Byington

Story type: TNC Science Brief