New York Natural Heritage Program

10/07/2026

Check out our work in old growth forests!

09/16/2026

Contribute to biodiversity science with a click of your smartphone! Join The Bee Conservancy and Matt Schlesinger (our Chief Zoologist and the cofounder of the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey at Minnewaska State Park Preserve) for an adventure in community science as you help document local pollinators buzzing in your favorite green spaces.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bee-the-solution-bioblitz-minnewaska-state-park-preserve-tickets-1998913996573

09/10/2026

Our Senior Marine Zoologist Meghan Rickard recently worked with the Marine Mammal Advisory Group (MMAG - www.mmag.world), a group of sailing and boating stakeholders committed to mitigating vessel strikes of marine animals and especially whales, to provide aerial survey data from the Whale Monitoring Program and local whale expertise to determine the best starting location for The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026.
The Race involves sailing teams competing on a one-week long course from New York City to Lorient, France. The dynamic risk management implemented by Race organizers based on MMAG’s recommendations highlights the power of like-minded individuals coming together to show that large scale international events can be environmentally aware and precautionary while retaining competitive excellence.
The concessions from Race organizers and participants were significant: racing boats were slowly delivered to a starting point at the edge of the continental shelf, a 20-hour delay to ensure that the dozens of feeding and migrating whales in the New York Bight were not at significant vessel strike risk due to the high-speed race. From the starting point, the course heads further offshore, effectively avoiding the areas most likely to have whales present.
Congrats to all the competitors!

06/09/2026

Today marks day two of New York Invasive Species Awareness Week! Check out events near you at https://nyis.info/nyisaw.

NYNHP leads invasive species mapping in New York State, managing statewide data through NY iMapInvasives, offering technical support to iMap users, providing data collection and analysis tools, and working with partners across the state to collect and use invasive species information to inform efforts to protect native biodiversity.

Learn more about our statewide invasive species mapping program at www.nyimapinvasives.org

New York Invasive Species Awareness Week is here!

Knowing where invasive species are found is one of our most powerful tools for managing impacts to biodiversity.

The New York Natural Heritage Program and the New York State DEC, along with our new software developer, Cornell Integrated Pest Management collaborate to present iMapInvasives, the state's premiere mapping system for tracking populations and management efforts in New York and beyond.

Go to www.nyimapinvasives.org to learn more about iMapInvasives, and check https://nyis.info/nyisaw for Invasive Species Awareness Week events.

05/28/2026

As waters warm up on the coasts of Long Island, boaters and fishers may notice some unfamiliar visitors to Long Island Waters. Invasive marine species, which can travel on boat hulls as fouling, are tracked in NY iMapInvasives. Check out our new brochure on how you can help reduce the spread of invaders.

https://www.nynhp.org/documents/519/marine-invasives-brochure.pdf

04/06/2026

Four of our awesome staff members had a great time tabling at the Women of Science Day at the New York State Museum on March 21st! It was a fantastic event that highlighted the contributions of female scientists to a range of scientific fields. Jenn, Julie, Colleen, and Hollie were there representing our data science, ecology, biology, and NY iMapInvasives teams!

04/02/2026

NY POOLS held their third volunteer training workshop at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve! Attendees learned about the importance of vernal pools on the landscape, how to ID the species that depend on these wetlands, and how they can participate in our vernal pool community science project.

Learn more about vernal pools, the project, and how you can get involved: https://www.nynhp.org/projects/ny-pools/

03/11/2026

Catch the latest Vox Pop episode of Birding with Julie Hart, our Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator. Julie answers questions about everything from bird feeders, to birds preening species other than their own, to prehistoric birds eating humans! Also lots of discussion about bluebirds, pictured here sitting on a nest box.

Listen here: https://www.wamc.org/podcast/vox-pop/2026-03-10/birding-with-rich-guthrie-and-julie-hart-3-10-26

📷Photo by Lorie Shaull

03/04/2026

The annual report for the 2024-2025 'Large Whale Monitoring in the New York Bight Using Aerial Surveys' is now available!https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/nybaerial_annual24-25.pdf

Other survey reports are available on the DEC website here: https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/oceans-estuaries/bight-whale-monitoring-program

📷North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Photo by Terra Hanks.

02/06/2026

We are hiring for the role of Invasive Species Data Assistant! This person will help manage datasets and field data collection tools for invasive species surveys and management, used by natural resource managers, scientists, and volunteers all over the state. They'll also provide tech help and training to users, and assist with communications with partners and the public, especially around iMapInvasives.

Learn more and apply: https://esf.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp;jsessionid=53FFC67E1CFF8257FFD8EB77B3B4E38F?JOBID=196766