Why NHI Data?

Why Ecologically?
The Importance of Biodiversity

The Department's mission includes protecting Wisconsin's ecosystems that protect all life - but how do we check our progress? Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) data is one way. Data are collected on rare or declining species, high-quality or rare natural communities, and unique and significant natural features in the state. All are important elements of biodiversity for the ecosystems we strive to sustain.

The presence of one or more rare species and natural communities in an area can be an indication of the area's health and ecological importance and prompts DNR staff to pay particular attention to protection, management and restoration needs. Similarly, maintaining these features sustains habitat for common and perhaps other rare species and maintains the larger complex of which the natural community or feature is a part.

Why Legally?
The Endangered Species Law

We also use NHI data to keep our work in compliance with both the Federal and State Endangered Species Laws.

The Wisconsin Endangered Species Law & Administrative Rule NR27 (exit DNR, PDF 169KB) were established to afford protection for certain wild animals and plants that the Legislature recognized as endangered or threatened and in need of protection as a matter of general state concern. It is illegal to take, transport, possess, process or sell any wild animal that is included on the Wisconsin Endangered and Threatened Species List without a valid permit. No one may process or sell any wild plant that is a listed species without a valid permit. On public lands or lands you do not own, lease, or have the permission of the landowner, you may not cut, root up, sever, injure, destroy, remove, transport or carry away a listed plant without a permit. There is an exemption on public lands for forestry, agriculture and utility activity. No one is exempt from these laws, but an Endangered or Threatened Species "Scientific" Permit or an Incidental Take Permit can allow you to conduct certain activities under specified conditions.

The Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects all federally listed animals and designated critical habitat from direct killing, taking, or other activities that may be detrimental to the species, including habitat modification or degradation. Federally listed plants and designated critical habitat have similar protection, but the direct killing or taking prohibitions are limited to federal lands.

How?
Department Screening Guidance

All action that the Department conducts, funds or approves on public or private lands must be screened for potential impacts to rare species. In order to streamline the screening process for both State and Federal Laws, the Department of Natural Resources developed the Endangered Resources Screening Guidance Staff adherence to the guidance assures compliance with both state and federal laws.

The Screening guidance also considers Special Concern species and Natural Communities. Consideration of Special Concern species helps prevent future endangerment (listing) and promote ecosystem management. Managers have much more flexibility with a species before it becomes legally listed. And the costs of preventing species from future listing are generally much lower than the costs of recovering species once they have declined to the point of listing.

Wisconsin's remaining examples of intact native communities comprise a significant portion of the NHI database, due to the Department's significant investment in identifying these areas over the past 30 years. These functioning natural communities capture much of our native biodiversity, support many of our state's endangered and threatened species, and keep our common species common.