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States of the Union > Executive Summary States
of the Union: Ranking America's Biodiversity Pride in place is a powerful impulse. And with its dazzling array of wild species and natural habitats, America has much to be proud of. Indeed, to find world-class biodiversity we need not look to foreign shores-it is right here in our own backyard. But while the concept of biodiversity has global connotations, conservation is a quintessentially local activity. To place conservation efforts in context, States of the Union: Ranking America's Biodiversity offers new information on state patterns of biological wealth and risk-where our wild plants and animals are found, and how they are faring. Each of America's 50 states maintains an important part of the nation's biological heritage. Taking best advantage of conservation opportunities, however, requires an understanding of the varying roles each state can play. States of the Union offers a striking picture of the "state of the states," based on an analysis of more than 21,000 plant and animal species. Providing new insights into the scale of the nation's conservation challenges and opportunities, these analyses find that in one out of every four states, more than ten percent of native species are at risk. Our rankings of the 50 states and the District of Columbia focus on several key biological characteristics: diversity of species; levels of rarity and risk; distinctiveness of the flora and fauna, termed endemism; and number of species already lost to extinction. Four states in particular emerge from these analyses as having exceptional levels of biodiversity—California, Hawaii, Texas, and Alabama. Looking at specific groups of plants and animals, however, reveals some surprising nuances. For instance, while freshwater fishes are most diverse in the rain-drenched southeastern United States, Arizona—a state more commonly associated with cacti—leads the nation in proportion of at-risk fish species. The condition of nature in America reflects an interplay between natural history and human history. And it is the breadth and intensity of this interaction that tends to define a geography of risk for wild species. As States of the Union demonstrates, each state has a vital role to play in sustaining America's plants and animals for future generations. But for the many U.S. species that are at risk of extinction, time is running out. With sufficient knowledge, resources, and commitment, the nation's remarkable biodiversity can be safeguarded, leading to a more perfect union.
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