The New York State Biodiversity Research Institute has awarded $526,000 in grant funds for biodiversity research, conservation and education efforts in New York State.

These grants support research projects that will improve the basic understanding of New York State plants and animals, from fungi and insects to turtles and bats.  They also will increase the importance of the state’s invaluable natural history collections.  With this support, scientists and educators will examine how different species, such as clams, birds, and plants, interact in their natural environments and identify how species and communities react to potential threats, such as non-native invasive species.  This will, in turn, lead to better directed conservation practices in the state.  Many of these projects offer opportunities for the public to join in data collection and to become actively engaged in scientific research and contribute to conservation of New York State biodiversity.