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All Taxa Biodiversity Inventories (ATBIs) were first started in the US at Great Smoky Mountains National Park seven years ago. The ATBI is designed and driven by scientists, educators, and managers and it uses citizens, youth, and civic groups in the excitement of scientific discoveries and new frontiers. The purpose of the ATBI is to discover and scientifically document all species in individual parks/reserves focusing on engaging the public in the process. Such engagement means the end result is beyond a list of species and distributional maps, the results are measured in countless volunteer hours, scholarly publications, youth and civic involvement in conservation, and the use of emerging technologies.
The concept of a national alliance of ATBIs has been formulated over several years. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is on the seventh year of their ATBI and Discover Life in America (DLIA) has been the operational and fund-raising non-profit partner in the effort. The Alliance idea was founded on a growing interest among national parks and other state and local organizations, to follow the model established by Great Smokies and learn from their experience. Volunteer citizen scientists as field teams, data standards and taxonomic coordination among scientists were some of the features that made the ATBI a viable model for many areas to adapt. In addition, the details provided scientific tools to address broader ecological pressures on protected areas. Scientific papers and media interest cumulated in a 2006 National Geographic special feature, a symposium series at a scientific conference, and multiple peer-reviewed articles in scientific and lay journals.
The ATBI Alliance was formally approved by participants at the December 2006 national meeting. Currently there are 48 National Park Service units that have initiated ATBI programs. Additionally, there are scores of National and State parks, preserves, recreation areas, and monuments throughout the country that have ATBI programs. The CP-ATBI will be a key contributor to the ATBI Alliance, with 13 participating parks and monuments and all of the regional universities involved in the program.
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