Independent Scientists Release Massive 868-Page National Nature Record for Public Review Following Federal Program Cancellation

Explore the 868-page Nature Record from UW scientists. An independent assessment of U.S. biodiversity and ecosystems now open for public comment through May 30.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 7:28 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Washington

A Grassroots Scientific Rescue of a National Ecological Audit

What began as a federally mandated executive order in 2022 to assess the state of the natural world in the United States nearly vanished in January 2025. Weeks before the initial draft was due, the federal government abruptly shuttered the project, leaving years of data and collaborative research in limbo. However, led by Phil Levin of the University of Washington’s EarthLab, a coalition of 170 scientists refused to abandon the mission. Operating independently, the team has now released "The Nature Record," an 868-page document that serves as a vital diagnostic tool for the nation’s lands, waters, and wildlife. This independent publication ensures that the extensive "wellness check" on the American environment reaches the public despite shifting political priorities.

Quantifying the Scale of Human Demand on Natural Systems

With a domestic population now exceeding 340 million, the strain on U.S. natural resources has reached unprecedented levels. The report meticulously documents how human requirements for food, energy, and transportation have reshaped the landscape, noting that approximately 50% of all land in the United States is currently dedicated to agricultural use. This high percentage highlights a critical reality: any successful effort to preserve biodiversity or restore ecosystems must actively involve the farming and ranching communities. The findings suggest that nature is no longer a separate entity from human development but is a system under constant negotiation with the industrial and nutritional needs of a massive population.

The Fragmented State of American Waterways and Migration Paths

One of the most striking sections of the assessment focuses on the millions of miles of American rivers, which remain heavily fragmented by infrastructure. The report identifies tens of thousands of large dams and as many as 2 million smaller obstructions, such as culverts, that disrupt essential fish migration and degrade overall ecosystem health. Despite this fragmentation, the researchers point to a growing trend of dam removals over the last decade as a primary source of optimism. In areas where these barriers have been cleared, rivers have shown a remarkable ability to rebound quickly, with fish populations returning to ancestral spawning grounds that had been inaccessible for multiple ge...