Nature shapes us.
Now it’s our turn to shape what comes next.
A new project. A mission years in the making.
The Nature Record is a national initiative bringing together knowledge, storytelling, and public participation to elevate the role of nature in the U.S.
Our work is rooted in science, guided by communities, and enriched by public participation. We’re led by a diverse, independent team of America’s top scientists, researchers, and practitioners.
Together, we’re creating a clear, accessible picture of nature across the nation and the role it plays in everything from local economies to public health and community resilience.
The Nature Record is designed for people who want to act on knowledge, from local leaders to national policymakers to everyday citizens.
The work is influenced by voices across the country through dozens of public conversations. What is emerging is more than a report; it is a foundation for decision-making, collaboration, and meaningful action.
Our long-term vision is a future where nature is part of every conversation about growth, health, security, and prosperity.
The work underway will include resources for local planning and decision-making, art and storytelling to bring nature’s value to life, and a rigorous national assessment of nature’s condition and contributions.
A New Way to See the Whole Picture.
This is more than a report. It's a way to connect, contribute, and act.
With public feedback.
With practical tools.
With decisions shaped by all of us.
A shared understanding.
When we understand nature, we can shape a future where people and places thrive.
That’s why this effort brings together scientists, community leaders, and people from every corner of the country.
An Assessment of Nature
We’re leading the first holistic assessment of U.S. lands, waters, and wildlife, and the benefits they provide.
Coming Soon
Each chapter will explore a different facet of nature’s role in our lives, with a National Academies review in early 2026 and the final release in fall 2026.
View key findings across all chapters, synthesizing our relationship to nature and pathways for action.
An essay on equity and environmental justice in the U.S.
The principles and frameworks guiding how we assess nature’s role in people’s lives.
Success stories of people and ecosystems thriving together offer lessons to replicate and scale.
How people experience, value, and sustain their connections to nature across the U.S.
Status, trends, and future of the nation’s marine species, habitats, and communities.
The health, trends, and risks facing lakes, rivers, wetlands, and freshwater ecosystems.
How U.S. habitats and species are changing, and what it means for people and landscapes.
The major forces reshaping nature and what integrated responses are needed.
How climate change is transforming ecosystems and how nature can help reduce risks.
The cultural, spiritual, and social values of nature, and inequities in access and recognition.
How nature underpins the U.S. economy and why its value must be better accounted for.
How access to healthy ecosystems supports physical, mental, and community health.
How nature reduces risks and supports national security and resilience in the face of disasters.
Practical steps to create a future where people and nature thrive together.
About us
We believe in the power of nature to connect us. Our independent team invites people across the country to contribute to what we know about nature.
Nature shapes everything we care about, from the water we drink to the security of our communities. When we understand these connections, we can make better decisions and build a future where people and places thrive.
Our work begins with a first‑of‑its‑kind national assessment of U.S. lands, waters, and wildlife, paired with tools and stories to help communities put that knowledge to work.
The Nature Record is designed to evolve with input from people of all backgrounds, ensuring nature is woven into everyday decisions and shared priorities.
Staff
Our core team leads the initiative’s coordination and operations.
He is a Professor of Practice and Interim Executive Director of EarthLab at the University of Washington, where he leads efforts to connect science, policy, and community priorities.
A conservation scientist with experience across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial systems, Levin has held senior roles at NOAA and The Nature Conservancy, published over 200 scientific papers and several books, and is widely featured in national media.
An interdisciplinary scientist with expertise in aquatic and urban ecology, she previously served as Lead Ecologist at the UW Tacoma Puget Sound Institute and Managing Director of the Ocean Modeling Forum.
Her work has focused on connecting science to decision-making for ecosystem management, earning her the Northwest Straits Environmental Leadership Award in 2023.
An environmental professional dedicated to working at the intersection of science and policy, she brings experience across the legislative and executive branches, federal science agencies, and environmental consulting.
Her work focuses on translating science into actionable insights for decision-making.
She previously served as Program Coordinator for the first-ever National Nature Assessment and has held professional roles with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center, NOAA West Coast Region Protected Resources Division, and the Environmental Law Institute.
Courtney earned her B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating magna cum laude.
Her professional career has centered on building durable partnerships, facilitating complex multi-stakeholder processes, and connecting science with community and policy. Previously, she served as a Director at Ross Strategic, where she led program implementation and evaluation, strategy development, and network support spanning watershed planning, air and water quality, public health, and climate change.
Most recently she was Executive Director of Future Rivers – a graduate student training program on interdisciplinary freshwater science. She has advanced degrees in environmental science and international relations and has been recognized for her community impact and leadership.
Chapter Leads
Experts and practitioners guide the work of individual chapters, connecting systems and sectors to tell the full story of nature’s role in the U.S.
- Chapter 1. Phillip Levin Linkedin
- Chapter 2. Staff Linkedin
- Chapter 3. Katie Arkema Linkedin
- Chapter 4. Timon McPhearson & Emmett Duffy Linkedin
- Chapter 5. Meena Balgopal & John Coley Linkedin
- Chapter 6. Sarah Lester Linkedin
- Chapter 7. Mary Power Linkedin
- Chapter 8. Sharon Collinge Linkedin
- Chapter 9. Danielle Ignace & Maureen Kearney Linkedin
- Chapter 10. Chris Field Linkedin
- Chapter 11. Rachelle Gould Linkedin
- Chapter 12. Rajat Panwar Linkedin
- Chapter 13. Howard Frumkin Linkedin
- Chapter 14. Todd Bridges Linkedin
- Chapter 15. Patricia Soranno Linkedin
Secretariat
Our primary decision-making body ensures the work remains rigorous, credible, and impactful.
News & Announcements
Stay up to date with team updates and media coverage.
Right now, nearly 200 authors across the country are doing something that looks deceptively simple: writing. They are crafting the second drafts of their chapters for a first-of-its-kind national assessment of how nature supports life in the United States.
At this year’s Climate Week, our team hosted a session that brought together leaders across science, policy, philanthropy, business, and the arts. To reflect on the session, we spoke with Dr. Heather Tallis, Chair of The Nature Record Secretariat.
A new anthology of poems on nature and change invites readers to stay connected, to act with care, and to remember that the future is not something we inherit—it’s something we shape together.
When the first-ever independent assessment of nature in the U.S. was cut short, the team reimagined the work as “something new and more alive,” Phillip Levin wrote in an Earth Day essay for The New York Times.
Get involved
Shared responsibility begins with a shared understanding, rooted in science, Indigenous Knowledge, and local wisdom.