History

Pacific Biodiversity Institute was founded by Peter Morrison in 1998 as a IRS 501-(c) 3 non-profit organization based in Washington State. Prior to this, we were the Methow Research Station of Sierra Biodiversity Institute (a project of the Tides Center). Our brief history, below includes that of the Methow Research Station.

1993 to 1998

This is the period of the Methow Research Station of Sierra Biodiversity Institute. In these early years, we worked primarily on conservation oriented landscape analysis, mapping of wildlands, regional biodiversity assessments and providing aid to conservation organizations in Washington, Oregon and California. Our most significant accomplishments during this period included:

  • Biodiversity assessment and establishment of conservation priorities for the North Cascade Ecosystem (Washington State and British Columbia) leading to the design of an integrated reserve network that encompasses all elements of regional biodiversity.
  • We created maps of the current and historic distribution of old-growth redwood forests in Northern California and correlated this with marbled murrelet sightings. The marbled murrelet is an endangered seabird that nests in old-growth forests. Our work was presented as expert testimony in the historic legal case: Marbled Murrelet vs. Pacific Lumber which was eventually decided by the US Supreme Court and lead to significantly increased protection for both the marble murrelet and the old growth redwood forests.
  • A map of all the remaining unprotected and protected wildlands in Washington State.
  • A symposium on Conservation Priorities held at Seattle University.
  • Managed the development of the Conservation GIS StarterKit, a training manual now used throughout the US and abroad for introducing new users to GIS applied to conservation problems.
  • We work with other conservation scientists to assess input into ICBEMP.
  • Conservation GIS support and training workshops for state agencies and conservation groups.

1998 to 2003

From 1998 onward, Pacific Biodiversity Institute (PBI) was established as independent non-profit organization. During this five year period, PBI continued the work that we started earlier and established ourselves as the premier conservation science organizations in the Pacific Northwest. We continued our landscape studies of wildlands, provided assistance to many conservation efforts and began some new initiatives. Our most significant accomplishments during this period included:

  • Loomis Forest Campaign, Puget Sound Salmon Habitat Assessment) (link)
  • Pacific Biodiversity Institute initiates conservation science internship program.
  • Investigation and assessment of the relationship between wildfire behavior, landscape condition and management history in the western United States.
  • Development of Internet-based information sites to provide easy public access to information on wildfires, endangered species, and wildlands.
  • A comprehensive natural resource inventory of the Wenatchee River Basin, including development of new vegetation maps, an assessment of conservation priorities and the development of a conservation decision support system for conservation planning.
  • Several regional landscape level biodiversity analyses and conservation planning projects.
  • Analysis and mapping of remaining undeveloped areas in the United States and its territories.
  • Puget Sound Basin priority salmon habitat assessment – a collaborative project with Trust for Public Land, Puget Sound Waterways and Dr. Chris Frissell, University of Montana.

2003 to 2008 (link)

  • Vegetation and rare plant surveys of 51 state parks and one Wildlife Area in Washington (10 in 2004, 2 in 2005 and 40 in 2006) under contract with Washington State Parks.
  • Ecological assessment of native grass communities and riparian vegetation within the Sonoran Desert National Monument (BLM) and adjacent areas of the Barry M. Goldwater Range (USAF), Arizona.
  • Ecological classification and mapping of watersheds, streams and riparian areas and evaluation of the use of this data for conservation prioritization and decision-making in the Upper Columbia River basin to support salmon recovery effectiveness monitoring under contract with NOAA Fisheries, the Bonneville Power Administration, and the North Central Washington Resource Conservation and Development District.
  • Forest health assessment and forest planning for wildfire risk reduction and forest health improvement in the eastern half of the Mt. Hood National Forest.
  • Development of ecological and biological data for a comprehensive Conservation Needs Assessment of the Methow River Basin.
  • Multi-year ecological condition assessment and vegetation mapping of the natural communities of the Sonoran Desert National Monument (BLM) and adjacent areas of the Barry M. Goldwater Range (USAF) and Tohono O’odham Nation, Arizona.
  • A series of studies of the major wildfires during 2000, 2001 and 2002 focusing on the factors with contributed to the fires including past landscape condition.
  • Studies of causes, ecological effects and spatial distribution of alien plant invasions in North Central Washington and the Sonoran Desert.
  • Assessment of roads and roadless areas in National Forests of the Great Lakes region of the United States.
  • Assessment of forest condition and habitat quality for the northern spotted owl in Washington State.

2008 to present (link)

  • Ecological and botanical surveys of 17 state parks in eastern Washington.
  • Botanical survey of the Cedar River watershed for non-native weed species for Seattle Public Utilities.
  • Rare plant survey, vegetation mapping and inventory of four state parks in western Oregon.
  • Rare plant survey, vegetation mapping and inventory of the Bowen Mountain portion of the Methow Wildlife Area, Washington.
  • Comprehensive forest health assessment and development of a forest plan for Mt. Spokane State Park for Washington State Parks.
  • Conservation science assistance to Parques Para Chile with the design of the Araucaria UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Andes mountain range, Chile and Argentina. Training of staff of Parques Para Chile in vegetation mapping using advanced techniques, wildlife habitat suitability modeling and conservation prioritization. Participation as an instructor in conservation science in the 2007 Cambridge University Cuchi Expedition. Conservation assistance to Associacion Civil de Nosara, Costa Rica.
  • More work on wildlife assessements and ecological assessments at Mt. Spokane State Park.


Copyright © 2009 Pacific Biodiversity Institute
PO Box 298, 517 Lufkin Lane
Winthrop, WA 98862 509-996-2490