Look up a plant or tree species' conservation status and imperilment rank before removal/protection decisions using the NatureServe Explorer REST API

domain: explorer.natureserve.org · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗

Steps

  1. Search NatureServe Explorer (or the API's taxon search) to resolve a common/scientific species name to its ELEMENT_GLOBAL ID (format like 'ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100661')
  2. Call GET https://explorer.natureserve.org/api/data/taxon/{ELEMENT_GLOBAL_ID} to retrieve conservation status, taxonomy, and distribution data
  3. Parse global/national/subnational conservation rank fields (e.g., G-rank, N-rank) from the response
  4. Cross-reference the species against local heritage-tree or protected-species ordinances before authorizing removal work
  5. Cite NatureServe Explorer as the data source in any downstream display, per API terms

Known gotchas

Related routes

Search species occurrence records via the GBIF Occurrence API
api.gbif.org · 6 steps · unrated
Use the iNaturalist API to pull or document species observations for a pre-clearing biological survey
inaturalist.org · 5 steps · unrated
Determine whether a tree is a protected or heritage species in a given city
municode.com · 5 steps · unrated

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