Biodiversity Without Boundaries

The NatureServe Network's annual conference convenes some of the greatest minds in conservation science—from the Great White North to the species-rich mountains and valleys of the Central Andes—to celebrate successes, collaborate on new initiatives, share innovations, and design the future.

Click here for the upcoming Biodiversity Without Boundaries Conference 2020.

An Unrivaled Venue

BWB puts some of the most important scientific breakthroughs on display to an audience that includes scientists from more than 80 natural heritage programs and conservation data centres, plus scores of government agencies, leading academic institutions, and fellow conservation organizations. This diverse mix fills the niche between academic meetings and policy-centric conferences.

Government attendees have included representatives from the EPA, Environment Canada, Department of Defense, the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Parks Canada Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, and the US Geological Survey, as well as state and provincial agencies.

Dozens of interactive workshops, symposiums, and panels comprise the heart of the agenda, sessions that tackle the most pressing topics facing conservation science today—as well as those approaching fast over the horizon.

That itinerary includes expeditions out into the field; presentations rich with new data and findings; and workshops and training sessions that strengthen our methods and help refine our work.

Celebrating Our Work

The conference also gives our Network the opportunity to recognize pioneering work in conservation science. The NatureServe Conservation Award goes each year to a titan of biodiversity conservation. Three other awards recognize the achievements of member programs of the Network Network.

Learn more about the awards and past winners

Biodiversity Without Boundaries 2020

From April 19-22, 2020, NatureServe will host the Biodiversity Without Boundaries Conference in Richmond, Virginia.  The conference agenda and activities will feature a broad spectrum of biodiversity related themes aimed to stimulate discussion and learning for a diverse group of stakeholders including government, non-government, academia and industry. 

For more information on registration, agenda, and logistics, follow link below.

Learn More

Past Conferences

2017: Ottawa, Canada

BWB 2017 took place in picturesque Ottawa, Canada. As the world’s second-largest nation, Canada is home to an extraordinary collection of landscapes and wildlife. and wildlife. NatureServe Canada hosted the NatureServe Network’s annual conference, convening hundreds of the world’s leading conservationists for a series of plenaries, symposia, workshops, panels, presentations, and field sessions. Learn more about BWB 2017.

2016: San Juan, Puerto Rico

BWB headed south to the biodiversity-rich, abundant, and beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Hundreds of the world’s leading conservationists gathered to examine trends, challenges, and science-based solutions across physical, political, and jurisdicational boundaries. Dozens of sessions and workshops focused on botany, zoology, ecology, capacity-building, conservation planning, data sharing, and emerging technologies that help us do our jobs better. Learn more abouit BWB 2016.

2015: Traverse City

Beautiful—and biologically bountiful—Traverse City, Michigan played host to the NatureServe Network’s annual conference. Biodiversity Without Boundaries 2015 brought together nearly 200 scientists, natural resource managers, and corporate and public decision-makers to discuss the most pressing conservation issues of today—issues including climate change, land conservation, freshwater and marine protection, forest ecology and management, data sharing, and emerging technologies. Learn more about BWB 2015

2014: New Orleans

The NatureServe network’s week in New Orleans brought together more than 200 global leaders in conservation science to share innovations and partner on new initiatives, steeping attendees in messages on the importance of collaboration, the transformative power of wonder, and a deepened call to better define who we are and why we endeavor as we do. Learn more about BWB 2014

2013: Baltimore

Biodiversity Without Boundaries in Charm City was a smashing success. The highly regarded gathering of scientists, resource managers, data managers, decision-makers, and all-around solution-finders was a can't-miss event for biodiversity conservation professionals. Browse the agenda and presentations

2012: Portland

This year's conference set records in both attendance and enthusiasm. Exploring everything from Ecosystem Services and the Assessments Landscape to the latest in biodiversity data management, BWB 2012 provided a rich array of opportunities to form and refresh both solutions and relationships. Browse the agenda and presentations

2011: Nebraska City

Amid the rolling hills and rich bottomland fields of southeast Nebraska, conservation leaders, thinkers, and practitioners gathered to exchange knowledge, share innovations, and bolster their ties to the network. Paying particular attention to issues prevalent in the Midwest region, BWB 2011 brought together an international scope with a local view.

2010: Austin

The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity in order to “showcase the contribution of research to the understanding of biodiversity and to policies and management practices that help to stop its loss.” Biodiversity Without Boundaries 2010 brought together conservation leaders, thinkers, and practitioners from across political and organizational boundaries for a stimulating conference that showcased the same.