Assessing the Nature of the U.S.

You might not feel a particular kinship with a hellbender salamander, want to cuddle up with a skunk cabbage, or spend a relaxing weekend in Bumpass Hell, California, but these animals, plants, and natural areas are all part of the nature of America. And, like much of nature in the U.S., these species and landforms are impacted by human development and human-caused climate change.

A nation-wide undertaking coordinated and led by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is taking stock of the nature of the U.S., particularly its wildlife, land, and water and the benefits provided by these natural resources to the nation's economy, health, climate, environmental justice, and national security. The National Nature Assessment (NNA) also is exploring how nature might change in the future and the potential impact of these changes to U.S. society.

NASA is one of 15 federal agencies involved in the NNA, and data related to biodiversity and natural resources are part of NASA's unrestricted Earth science data archive. Along with data acquired from satellite, airborne, and ground-based observations, the agency also maintains a large collection of socioeconomic data. The use of these data to support policy and decision-making for society's well-being is a key element of the agency's Earth Science to Action strategy.

Background and Intent

The NNA is being implemented under the Global Change Research Act, and is the first of what is meant to be a series of assessments. The NNA is similar to the intent of the USGCRP-led National Climate Assessment but geared toward exploring the status of nature and its benefits to people across the nation. It is guided by a Federal Steering Committee.

"We hope that this assessment by scientists and other experts from many different agencies, universities, and other sectors will give a comprehensive view of our country's biodiversity and ecosystems while identifying concerns related to equity and environmental justice," says Dr. Jessica Nicole Welch, a conservation biologist who is serving as a Federal Coordinating Lead Author (FCLA) on the NNA. Welch also is on the technical staff of NASA's Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC), which is responsible for NASA Earth science data related to ecology and environmental processes.

Welch was nominated by NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD) to be the FCLA for the chapter "Frameworks and Approaches for Assessing Nature in the U.S.," which NASA sees as an important chapter for highlighting the agency's Earth observations. Other NNA chapters include Nature and its Relationship to Cultural Heritage, Nature and Equality, and Nature and the Economy.

"FCLAs work across the chapters to ensure consistency throughout the assessment," says Welch. "Each chapter has a chapter lead, who directs the chapter authors. I communicate with all the other FCLAs to make sure that we're not redundant in our chapters and we're all working together to make a cohesive document."

Along with Welch, Dr. Dave Schimel, research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, is the other NASA representative on the NNA and one of the authors for the Frameworks and Approaches chapter. Chapter authors come from many different U.S. regions and represent areas of expertise from agriculture to zoology.

NASA and the NNA

NASA's exposure in biology, biological conservation, and ecology has increased in the last few years, and Welch sees one of her roles as making sure that NASA data and technology are highlighted and made available to the NNA chapter teams. She observes that many people aren't aware that NASA has data relevant to biodiversity.

"We want to be sure that people understand that NASA has a stake in biodiversity and ecological conservation," says Welch. "We are funding scientists to study Earth, and we are doing more of this. We want to be sure that NASA data and NASA findings from scientific research are considered for inclusion in the NNA."

The open process of the NNA, with all work submitted for public comment throughout the process, also is in line with NASA's commitment to the open access of data in its collection. NNA chapters and outlines will be available through the USGCRP website and participating agencies will promote these documents to solicit comments.

Timeline and Current Status

Work on the NNA began in the summer of 2022 with the establishment of the Federal Steering Committee and a subsequent Request for Information to frame the assessment. The resulting Prospectus was also the subject of additional public comments and Tribal Consultations. A call for chapter leads and authors went out in the fall of 2023, and Welch was nominated by the ESD for her FCLA position in late 2023.

Currently, the steering committee is reviewing chapter outlines and key topics. The final report is scheduled for release in late 2026.

A Blueprint for the Future

The planet NASA studies the most is Earth, and the data collected by the agency's constellation of Earth observation satellites and other projects provide a unique perspective that complements data collected by other federal agencies. Welch hopes that the NNA will provide reliable and factual guidance for managing U.S. ecosystems and protecting species in light of increasing pressures from climate change and other drivers.

She also hopes that the NNA will stimulate a desire for readers to learn more about the nature around them and reach out to explore NASA's vast open archive of Earth observation data.

"When people ask me where I work and I say NASA, they ask what planet I study. I tell them I study the best planet of all—Earth," says Welch. "NASA cares about all of Earth, not just Earth from space."