Natural Resources
Idaho National Laboratory has a dedicated team of plant ecologists, botanists and wildlife biologists who monitor ecological conditions on the INL Site. These experts work closely with U.S. Department of Energy and their stakeholders, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Idaho Department of Fish & Game to monitor populations and habitat across the 890-square mile Site. Natural resource information is used to demonstrate compliance with applicable rules and regulations and to ensure that INL’s mission and goals can be achieved with few to no impacts to natural resources.
Natural Resources Programs
Special Status Species
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho Operations Office addresses conservation by continually evaluating the regulatory rankings, abundance, and distribution of special status plant and animal species.
Conservation Planning
For some species of elevated concern or with extensive populations and key habitats on the INL Site, DOE-ID has developed conservation plans to protect species and the valuable ecosystems they inhabit.
Natural Resource Monitoring and Research
Natural resource monitoring and research is driven to better understand the INL Site’s ecosystem and biota, and to determine the impact on populations of these species from activities conducted at the INL Site.
Land Stewardship
Land stewardship involves managing ecosystems on the INL Site through planning, assessment, restoration, and rehabilitation activities.
Natural Resources Publications
INL publishes a variety of natural resources reports pertaining to special status species, conservation planning, monitoring and research, and land stewardship.
