Download or View Conservation GIS Data
We provide The Nature Conservancy's core global spatial data in GIS and Google Earth KML formats. To view a core dataset, click on a map below.
TNC Lands & Waters
This dataset includes The Nature Conservancy's properties, easements and leases (areas we hold a legal interest in). Boundaries are regularly collected from TNC's US State Chapters and are matched with attributes from our legal database. This dataset is regularly provided to the CBI PADUS, NCED, and USGS GAP national protected area databases, but this dataset provides additional attributes more frequent updates. Some historic data is included, but the focus is on current holdings.
- Download:
- GIS Data
- Google Earth KMZ
- Advanced formats:
- WMS
- REST
- ArcMap Lyr
Ecoregional Portfolio
This dataset provides a vision for conservation success for ecosystems, natural communities and species representative of an ecoregion by showing the boundaries of areas that The Nature Conservancy has prioritized for conservation. Many portfolio areas were derived from Ecoregional Assessments, but other priorities derived using other planning methodologies are included in this global dataset. Information on the targets within the U.S. portfolio is available via a new interactive web map viewer or a GIS data download.
- Download:
- GIS Data (global)
- GIS Data (US)
- Advanced formats:
- WMS
- REST
- ArcMap Lyr
Conservation Projects
A conservation project is defined as "a set of strategies taken by a defined group of practitioners working to achieve specific conservation goals and objectives for a set of conservation targets." Find out more about our conservation projects in ConPro (TNC staff can log in to see sensitive projects).
- Download:
- GIS Data
- Google Earth KMZ
- Advanced formats:
- WMS
- REST
- ArcMap Lyr
Ecoregional Assessments
This map shows the location and status of ecoregional assessments (ERAs) conducted by TNC, which guide where and how we work (a key outcome of an ERA is the Portfolio). The information collected in our ecoregional assessments is available via the Ecoregional Assessment Status Tool (EAST).
- Download:
- GIS Data
- Google Earth KMZ
- Advanced formats:
- WMS
- REST
- ArcMap Lyr
Terrestrial Ecoregions
This is the master spatial data layer for TNC's terrestrial ecoregions of the world, exported from the geodatabase listed above. Note that it includes Mangroves, Inland Water, and Rock and Ice MHTs, although they are not being handled by terrestrial assessments. This layer is based on WWF's ecoregions outside the United States, and loosely based on Bailey's ecoregions (from the USDA Forest Service) within the United States.
- Download:
- GIS Data
Freshwater Ecoregions
The Freshwater Ecoregions Of the World (FEOW) provide a global biogeographic regionalization of the Earth's freshwater biodiversity. This version of the FEOW, modified by The Nature Conservancy, includes additional tabular data describing Major Habitat Types (MHTs, similar to terrestrial biomes, but unpublished).You can read more about the FEOW, and obtain the unmodified shapefile at www.feow.org.
- Download:
- GIS Data
Marine Ecoregions
The Marine Ecoregions Of the World (MEOW) data set is a biogeographic classification of the world's coasts and shelves. The ecoregions nest within the broader biogeographic tiers of Realms and Provinces. Further details about the MEOW system and PDFs of the BioScience paper the comprehensive listing of sources are available from www.worldwildlife.org/MEOW/ and www.nature.org/MEOW.
- Download:
- GIS Data
Data Formats
GIS data: Data are available in shapefile and ArcGIS geodatabase formats.
Google Earth: To use the Google Earth KML format, you must first download the free Google Earth program.
Advanced formats Advanced formats do not let you manipulate the data - they simply give you a way to view the data on our server in your program or application. WMS and REST formats are available for those interested in adding TNC data to your web mapping application. ArcGIS layer files allows you to add the data to an ArcGIS project as a map service.
Sensitive Data
The data listed at left all have sensitive data removed and are suitable for public use. Staff of The Nature Conservancy can access an interactive web map that includes sensitive information (login with your TNC email address and password), and to see additional ways to access the Conservancy's internal / sensitive information please see our intranet page.
Terms
You can show these map services in your own application if you like; the only condition being that The Nature Conservancy is listed as the author, you are using the data for noncommercial purposes, and you don't alter them in any way.