Biodiversity Conservation in Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Biodiversity Conservation Plan

• Author: Sue A. Thompson
• Pages: 569-577

Chapter 36

Biodiversity Conservation in

Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania

Biodiversity Conservation Plan1

by Sue A. Thompson

I. Introduction: The Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership (PBP)

A major effortto develop a biodiversity conservation strategy in Pennsylva-

nia has been undertaken by PBP.PBP is a broad-based, public-private part-

nership to promote the conservation of native species and their habitats.

PBP’seffort is similar to the Oregon Biodiversity Project in that it has signif-

icant private leadership, but involves greater participation by public agen-

cies.2PBP is unique in bringing together—as equal partners—organizations

and individuals with diverse interests and backgrounds. PBP members rep-

resent conservation and environmental organizations, government agen-

cies, business and industry, scientists and academic institutions, sports-

men, and private landowners. For the first time in Pennsylvania, under the

leadership of PBP, there is a comprehensive and collaborative effort to ad-

dress the lack of a statewide biodiversity conservation plan.

Recognizing the need for a better understanding of Pennsylvania’s rich

natural resources as well as the lack of a comprehensive strategy for biodi-

versity conservation, PBP was formed in 2000 in direct response to a recom-

mendation by the Pennsylvania 21st Century Environment Commission.

That commission was a unique public-private effort initiated by an Execu-

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1. This chapter is extracted from Biodiversity in Pennsylvania: Snapshot

2002 (Sue A. Thompson ed., Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership 2002)

[hereinafter Snapshot]. Copies of the report are available from the Pennsyl-

vania Biodiversity Partnership (PBP) (tel.: 412-481-4100; E-mail:

pbpinfo@pabiodiversity.org). The full report, on which it is based, is available

on the PBP website at http://www.pabiodiversity.org.

2. For a discussion of Oregon’s privately led biodiveristy effort, see supra Chap-

ter 7.