LibGuides: Recommended Websites: Conservation and Sustainability

American Forests
"American Forests is a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests."
An Integrated Approach to Identifying and Characterising Resilient Urban Food Systems to Promote Population Health in a Changing Climate
A scholarly article from the Cambridge University Press journal Public Health Nutrition.
Arbor Day Foundation
"Inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees."
Biodiversity Explorer
Biodiversity Explorer is devoted to showing and explaining the diversity, biology and interactions of life in southern Africa.
Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)
An international non-profit group that develops standards and protocols for sharing biodiversity data, the site includes standards documentation, databases of biodiversity projects and networks, plus a wiki for collaborating on information sharing.
Biomes, Biogeographical Realms, and Ecoregions
From the World Wildlife Fund. A collection of biodiversity data from 26 major habitat types.
Cascadia Prairie Oak Partnership
A collection of technical documents, proceedings and articles related to Northwest prairie oak habitats, native plants, fire, wildlife and conservation planning.
Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems is a research, education, and public service program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, dedicated to increasing ecological sustainability and social justice in the food and agriculture system.
Center for Plant Conservation
"The mission of the Center for Plant Conservation is to conserve and restore the rare native plants of the United States."
Civil Eats
News about the American food system with an emphasis on sustainability, equity, and social justice.
Climate-Friendly Gardener
This guide produced by the Union of Concerned Scientists describes ways that gardeners can make gardening choices to combat global warming.

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It discusses fertilizers, cover crops, food gardens, composting, lawn maintenance, and more.
Community Seed Network
An organization that encourages seed saving and supports seed saving networking.
Ecologically Sound Lawn Care for the Pacific Northwest
This report published by Seattle's Public Utilities summarizes research and recommendations from both horticulture scientists and turf professionals.
Ecology Action: Grow Biointensive
Information about biointensive farming, a method of farming well-suited to small spaces.
Food System Primer - Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
"Short, easy-to-digest readings about topics from farm to fork...Other resources help food system scholars dig deeper into the issues."
Friends of the Trees
A Portland-based non-profit organization, Friends of Trees advocates for urban forestry issues. They provide education about greening urban areas and caring for existing trees in the urban forest.
Green Seattle Partnership
"The Green Seattle Partnership coordinates restoration projects to care for our urban forest and bring people into the parks to build community through hands-on volunteerism." The website has a database with map to find volunteer opportunities.
International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Tokyo Code) Electronic Version
"The Tokyo Code is different from the Berlin Code. There are two reasons for this difference: one relates to the arrangement of the book and other technical matters, the other to its content."
International Organization for Plant Information Global Plant Checklist
"Managed by the International Organization for Plant Information (IOPI), the Global Plant Checklist (GPC) is a cooperative international project designed to help humanity manage the earth's biodiversity efficiently and sustainably."

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"This prototype for IOPI's Global Plant Checklist Project demonstrates how the Checklist works, and serves as an aid for developing data entry and botanical editing procedures."
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on taxa that have been globally evaluated using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

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This system is designed to determine the relative risk of extinction, and the main purpose of the IUCN Red List is to catalogue and highlight those taxa that are facing a higher risk of global extinction (i.e. those listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable). Records include classification, assessment information, geographic distribution, summary documentation, detailed documentation and data sources. Advanced searching allows for limiting by region, country, marine region, or biome. Records do not contain images, but the site does refer visitors to a list of links organized by organism (i.e. mammals, fish, birds, plants).
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
The Center is devoted to building "a healthier, more equitable and resilient food system" with with articles, reports programs and events.

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Focus on:

Food Systems & Climate Change
Food Policy & Governance
Diet, Health & Planetary Boundaries
Food Systems & Urbanization
and related topics
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
"The mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes."
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
A United Nation initiated effort that "assessed the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. From 2001 to 2005, the MA involved the work of more than 1,360 experts worldwide. Their findings provide a state-of-the-art scientific appraisal of the condition and trends in the world's ecosystems and the services they provide, as well as the scientific basis for action to conserve and use them sustainably."
Native Seed Network
For serious eco-restorationists, the origin of the native plant seed is critical. The Native Seed Network is a service offered by the non-profit Institute for Applied Ecology and the Bureau of Land Management to help people find sources for plant material from specific eco-regions.
New Zealand Department of Conservation Native Plants
NHBS Environment Bookstore
Wide selection of books on wildlife, science and conservation
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides
The NCAP published the Journal of Pesticide Reform and works to educate the public about the dangers of pesticides.

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Go to their Publications section to download information on alternative solutions to pest problems, pesticide fact sheets, and special reports about issues of pesticide reform.
Plant Conservation Alliance
PCA Members and Cooperators work collectively to solve the problems of native plant extinction and native habitat restoration, ensuring the preservation of our ecosystem.
Plant Talk - Plant Conservation Worldwide
"Plant Talk was founded in 1995 and was designed as an independent voice to help and support all those fortunate people who work in the conservation of plants; either professionally or as amateurs."
Rare Plant Care and Conservation
Rare Care Plant Conservation Program is dedicated to conserving Washington's native rare plants through methods including ex situ conservation, rare plant monitoring, reintroduction, and education.
Seattle Department of Transportation City Arborist's Office and Tree Information
Information about the care and selection of Seattle trees, especially those used for street plantings.
Seattle Public Utilities Natural Lawn & Garden Care
How to reduce waste, conserve water, save time and money, and protect our environment and your family's health – all while growing a beautiful yard
Seattle Youth Garden Works
"Seattle Youth Garden Works empowers homeless and under-served youth through garden-based education and employment."
Seattle's Heritage Tree Program
Heritage trees may be on either City or private property. Each candidate tree is assessed by a certified arborist and evaluated by a review committee.
Seed Savers Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization that saves and shares heirloom seeds and our garden heritage. Members can exchange seeds with each other and the public may purchase seeds directly.
Seeds of Diversity
Seeds of Diversity is Canada's Heritage Seed Program for gardeners.
Shopper's Guide to Pesticides
A guide to fruits and vegetables based on pesticide contamination, from the Environmental Working Group (includes criteria used in rankings)
Sustainable Urban Landscape Information Series
"The goal of the SULIS is to provide sustainable landscape information to the public and to the horticulture/landscape industry."

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"By utilizing SULIS concepts, homeowners, business owners and related industry personnel will be able to create outdoor spaces that are functional, maintainable, environmentally sound, cost effective and aesthetically pleasing."
Tilth Alliance
Seattle Tilth, Tilth Producers and Cascade Harvest Coalition merged to form Tilth Alliance, "a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating a sustainable community, one garden at a time." Their mission is to build an ecologically sound, economically viable and socially equitable food system.
Tree Protection Code
The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections administers and enforces regulations related to development that affects trees. Whether at a major construction site or just in your backyard, if you are considering cutting, removing or preserving trees, this website will help you identify applicable tree and landscaping regulations in Seattle.
Trees for Seattle
The City of Seattle encourages the planting of trees along public streets. This site is the umbrella for all of the City of Seattle's urban forestry efforts. Trees must be planted to standards outlined on this website. Lists of recommended trees, graded by size, and prohibited trees are included.
University of Washington Restoration Ecology Network
"The core of the UW-REN mission is to advance higher education in restoration while helping the Pacific Northwest region meet the growing needs and challenges of ecological restoration."
Washington Natural Heritage Program
"The WNHP manages site-specific and species/ecosystem-specific information on priority species and ecosystems; those that are rare or have very limited distribution."
Washington Toxics Coalition
Information on toxicity and alternatives to pesticides
World Conservation IUCN Publications
Bookstore for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
World Resources Institute - Food
Resources about sustainability, agriculture, and environmental issues.