What We Do
At VCE, we deliver the science needed to sustain biodiversity.
We monitor wildlife populations and conduct cutting-edge research to assess their conservation status and predict how they may respond to natural and human-caused stressors. We use that research to create practical conservation tools that land stewards throughout the Americas can use to better protect them.
To do this work, we recruit, train, and coordinate community scientists at all skill levels to help us collect observation data. Our approach has received international recognition as a cost-effective and rigorous model for the collection, organization, and dissemination of biodiversity data.
Check out our projects, learn about the results of this research, find volunteer opportunities near you, or partner with VCE biologists on your next event or project.
Featured Research and Conservation Projects
New England Grasslands Ambassadors Program
The New England Grasslands Ambassadors program supports landowners and farmers in managing open fields in ways that benefit both working lands and grassland birds. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies provides guidance tailored to local needs, so together we can conserve the open landscapes Vermonters care deeply about.
Learn more and join »
Vermont Atlas of Life
The Vermont Atlas of Life is a library of knowledge on Vermont’s animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms—an online, real-time resource with maps, photographs, and primary biodiversity data open for anyone to use.
Learn more and join »
Vermont Vernal Pool Monitoring Project
Vernal pools are one of the Northeast’s most dramatic seasonal ecosystems, bursting with life as frogs and salamanders gather to breed. While vernal pools provide critical breeding habitat for charismatic species and serve as hidden powerhouses within forest ecosystems, they face an uncertain future in Vermont.
Learn more and join »Our Research
For decades, VCE scientists have worked to understand and conserve biodiversity across the Americas using innovative techniques. Our research is published in peer-reviewed journals, and have directed and redirected science and policy when it comes to conservation.
Education & Outreach
The scientists at VCE lead field outings and give presentations and talks. Go deeper and learn more by attending an event put on by us or one of our partner organizations.
