Anne Bowser
TOPIC
The 94% No One Thinks About
In North America, 34% of animals, 40% of plants, and 41% of ecosystems are at risk of disappearing forever. Yet the Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects only 6% of the species that NatureServe’s data shows are at risk of extinction, and is biased towards certain types of species, like “charismatic megafauna.”
Yet there’s tremendous strength in the under-represented parts of nature. Pollinators, especially native bees, keep our food systems stable and support the U.S. economy. Freshwater mussels perform valuable ecosystem services by filtering the water that we drink.
This talk will begin by diving into the under-represented 94%. What are these plants, animals, and ecosystems? What do they do, and why do they matter? From a historical perspective, why are they left behind on official “lists” like the ESA?
Then, this talk will share how different partners, including those in unexpected places, are pitching in to help. Listeners should leave with new awareness and awe of America’s biodiversity. They should also walk away with a message of hope. Even in an environment of government and policy challenges, science, data, and innovative partnerships can still drive good decisions that benefit biodiversity.
ABOUT
Across her career, Anne has focused her energy on leveraging science and technology to create environmental and social good. Prior to NatureServe, she was the Director of Innovation at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where she focused on understanding innovative science policy approaches such as open science, citizen science, and open data. Anne is also invested in non-profit leadership, and was an early board member and Treasurer of the Citizen Science Association (CSA).
Anne’s commitment to biodiversity began in graduate school. As a Masters student at the University of Maryland’s iSchool, she used Social Network Analysis (SNA) to study major research institutions sharing biodiversity data. Her Ph.D. explored how Floracaching, a gamified mobile app for plant phenology data collection, might be designed to motivate new citizen science volunteers. Anne has published papers on topics including Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), and enjoys contributing a policy perspective to academic discussions.