Idaho Conservation Data Center - Who We Are

Overview

From lava flows and sagebrush grasslands to mountain forests and alpine meadows, Idaho embraces a broad range of environments. Our state's natural heritage is correspondingly rich in species and biological communities. As the state's population grows, it is critical to identify and protect our finest remaining natural areas. Once destroyed, these places can never be fully restored. The Idaho Conservation Data Center (IDCDC) plays a significant role in protecting our remarkable heritage.

The IDCDC is the central repository in Idaho for information related to the state's rare plant and animal populations. The operating philosophy of the IDCDC is to provide accurate, comprehensive, and timely information on Idaho's rare species to decision makers at the earliest stages of land management planning. The IDCDC has serviced thousands of information requests during the last decade, quietly eliminating or minimizing potential conflicts.

You might recognize us by our previous name, the Idaho Natural Heritage Program. The Idaho Natural Heritage Program was established in 1984 as a cooperative effort by the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, and The Nature Conservancy (an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of biological diversity). In 1987, the program was merged into the Department of Fish and Game. The name was changed to the Idaho Conservation Data Center in 1992 to more accurately reflect its role as a central repository and provider of information on Idaho's rare species.

The IDCDC is part of an expanding international network with NatureServe as the parent organization. Heritage programs have been established in each of the 50 states, and more than 14 Conservation Data Centers exist internationally. Each of these programs was started by The Nature Conservancy, and all of them manage biological data using standardized methodology.

Funding

Funding for the IDCDC is provided by a variety of state, federal, and private partners including the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Transportation Department, Bureau of Land Management, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U. S. Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency, The Nature Conservancy, and others.

The Database

Site-specific information on rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals, exemplary plant communities, and natural areas is collected and stored in computer files. These files are updated whenever new information becomes available from state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and private corporations.

Database Usage and Products

• Status Review - CDC biologists monitor the status of more than 300 plant species and 100 animal species. The list includes federally Threatened and Endangered species, federal candidates for Threatened and Endangered status, Idaho Department of Fish and Game Species of Special Concern, Bureau of Land Management Sensitive Species, U. S. Forest Service Sensitive Species, and Idaho Native Plant Society ranked species. Information from the IDCDC database is used by those responsible for reviewing and revising state and federal lists of special status species.



• Requests for Information - The IDCDC has the flexibility to respond to a variety of public and private users' needs. Requests are often project-oriented and typically originate from federal agencies, state agencies, county planners, nonprofit organizations, private companies, and environmental consultants. An increasing number of these users have implemented Geographic Information Systems.



• Research and Reports - As the database grows, gaps in current knowledge become evident and serve to stimulate new research. Annually, IDCDC biologists conduct field inventories and monitoring studies. Results of research projects are published as technical reports, articles in scientific journals, and articles in popular magazines.

Serving Idaho

As Idahoans, we can be proud of our state's natural diversity. Although unfamiliar to many of us, some species and natural area types within our borders are found nowhere else in the world. It is our responsibility as citizens to preserve this remarkable heritage for the benefit of future generations.

The protection of our common inheritance can be accomplished in harmony with other human concerns if planning accompanies economic growth. Environmental damage can be minimized and unnecessary conflicts, costs, and delays averted when decision-makers are aware of alternative courses of action before financial commitments are made. The Idaho Conservation Data Center provides information useful in making sound decisions about the management of all our lands.