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Albany – The New York State Biodiversity Project has announced the publication of “Legacy: Conserving New York State’s Biodiversity,” the first comprehensive book on the Empire State’s extraordinary flora and fauna and diverse natural areas.

Written for the general reader, this 100-page book offers a complete tour of New York State’s plants and animals and is illustrated with color photographs, original illustrations, and graphics,. The focus is on ecological communities and there are suggestions for ways that scientists and the public can advance conservation efforts. The book is designed to educate New Yorkers about the state’s biodiversity, how it affects their daily lives, and why it should be protected for future generations. It is published by the New York State Biodiversity Project.

From salamanders to songbirds and fungi to diatoms, the book seeks to impress upon readers the multitude and spectrum of the natural wealth of New York State -- and points out that new species are still being discovered. Recently, scientists from the American Museum of Natural History discovered a new genus and species of centipede (Nannarrup hoffmani) in New York City’s Central Park.

The book also details the defining characteristics of the state’s natural communities that make New York unique and beautiful. These include salt marshes, alpine meadows, lakes, streams, spruce-fir forests and grasslands as well as some important human-modified landscapes, such as farm fields, community gardens and cemeteries, where a surprising diversity of life also can be found.

The final chapter offers recommendations to ensure that biodiversity is preserved for all New Yorkers, their children, and future generations.

A free copy of Legacy: Conserving New York State’s Biodiversity can be requested from: New York State Biodiversity Research Institute, New York State Museum, 3140 CEC, Albany, NY 12230 (email: bri@mail.nysed.gov).

The book is a publication of the New York State Biodiversity Project, a collaborative effort by the American Museum of Natural History, New York State Biodiversity Research Institute, New York

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State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Natural Heritage Program, and The Nature Conservancy. The group’s aim is to improve the public’s understanding of the state’s biodiversity and to identify both challenges and solutions to protect it.

Since its founding in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History has advanced its global mission to explore and interpret human cultures and the natural world through scientific research, education, and exhibitions. The institution houses 45 permanent exhibition halls, state-of-the-art research laboratories, one of the largest natural history libraries in the Western Hemisphere, and a permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and cultural artifacts. In 1993, the Museum established the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC) in response to the accelerated loss of animals, plants, and habitats worldwide. The Center combinesresearch, training, and public outreach so that people become participants in conservation. To learn more about the Museum or the CBC visit: http://www.amnh.org/ or http://cbc.amnh.org/

` The New York State Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) was created by the New York State Legislature in 1993 to help meet the challenges associated with preserving the state’s biodiversity. The BRI serves as a comprehensive source of biological information, which is used to advise both public and private agencies on matters relating to the status of New York’s biological resources. The BRI is housed within the New York State Museum and is funded through the Environmental Protection Fund. The BRI is collaboration between the state Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Natural Heritage Program, Audubon New York, state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and The Nature Conservancy. To learn more about the BRI and its programs and initiatives, visit: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/bri/index.html.

The Nature Conservancy is a private, international, non-profit organization that preserves plants, animals and the natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy, and its more than one million members, have been responsible for the protection of more than 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. In New York, The Nature Conservancy has helped preserve more than 500,000 acres of land. To learn more about the Nature Conservancy programs call (212) 997-1880, or visit nature.org/newyork.

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