A study on America's land, water, and wildlife is fighting for a second chance at publication, according to The New York Times. Over 150 scientists and experts worked on the National Nature Assessment, and its key contributors have refused to let their research die after President Trump canceled the project by executive order.
What's happening?
The report was just weeks away from completion, according to the Times. It aimed to be a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive look at nature across the United States. When the White House pulled the plug in January, project director Phil Levin rallied his team.
"This work is too important to die," Dr. Levin wrote in an email to the report's authors, per the Times. "The country needs what we are producing."
Most of the 12 chapters were nearly finished, with topics ranging from nature's economic implications to environmental justice. The study was poised to show how our lands and waters are changing and what those shifts mean for communities.
"There's an amazingly unanimous broad consensus that we ought to carry on with the work," said Howard Frumkin, a professor emeritus who led a chapter on nature's effects on human health and well-being.
Why is the National Nature Assessment important?
The report would give Americans clear information about the state of our natural resources and what's at stake if we lose them.
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"Nature supports our economy, our health and well-being, national security, and safety from fire and floods," Dr. Levin explained. Without this assessment, we may lose important information that would help people and nature thrive.
Earth's variety of life is dropping faster than at any time in human history, according to a separate report cited by the Times. The new report would have provided a detailed picture of what's happening to the resources and life in our backyards, parks, and wild spaces.
"The dependence of the economy on nature … is understated and understudied and underappreciated," noted Rajat Panwar, who led a chapter on nature and the economy.
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Definitely 👍 What's being done about the canceled report?
The scientists aren't giving up. They're figuring out how to publish their findings outside government channels.
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Significant questions remain about how to ensure the report maintains scientific rigor and influence without official backing. The team is exploring the best publication methods, peer-review processes, and funding options.
"We just want to make sure that whatever product is produced really has the potential to move the needle on the conversations, all the way from the dinner table in individual families to the halls of Congress," said Chris Field, director of Stanford University's Woods Institute for the Environment.
For Danielle Ignace, who led a chapter on what's driving changes in nature, the mission feels stronger than ever: "It's a calling to this cause to see this through. … We're not going to stop."
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