The Nature Conservancy’s approach to conserving and rehabilitating biological diversity in the Upper Mississippi River system. tab:

Abstract

Ten years ago, The Nature Conservancy, recognizing the importance of large rivers to the biodiversity of the Midwest region of the United States, began a major conservation project on the Lower Illinois River. Since then the scope of the project has been expanded to incorporate a basin approach centered on the Upper Mississippi River and intended to rehabilitate ecosystems and abate threats at key sites that cross several spatial scales. A particular emphasis is on spatial strategies that result in cumulative downstream benefits. The use of the best available science, applied in an adaptive and accountable manner, is a fundamental principle of The Nature Conservancy and the Upper Mississippi River Project. This paper briefly explains the mission and work of The Nature Conservancy and then explores a few of the ways we are supporting river science to improve management strategies, influence the vast array of public and private institutions working in this basin, and more effectively direct the allocation of public dollars to conservation.