Imperiled species rely on National Wildlife Refuges to shelter them from threats underlying the global biodiversity crisis. We have known about the special relationship between the ESA and refuges for decades, but unfortunately there has been no robust tally of how many threatened and endangered species are found on refuge land. Defenders of Wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge Association teamed up to figure it out by poring over hundreds of federal documents to develop an up-to-date list. What we found is astounding: 513 ESA-listed species are found or are dependent on at least 444 refuges. Check out our story map to learn more!
As the VP of the Center for Conservation Innovation at Defenders, Lindsay leads the Center for Conservation Innovation’s science, technology, and policy teams as we work together to pioneer innovative, pragmatic conservation solutions.