Species is a not-for-profit organisation composed of researchers and professionals whose goal is to bridge the gap between science, economics, and politics. Our goal is to develop and apply new methods of ecologically sustainable and socially equitable use of natural resources.

Vision

Human societies rely crucially on the resources and services of natural systems. At the end of the 20th century it became common knowledge that humans consume and destroy natural resources at an ever increasing and unsustainable rate. But we enter the 21st century with the knowledge that humans are also the greatest evolutionary force acting on our planet. Our actions can alter the ecological processes of natural systems, with long lasting consequences for the generations to come. Our future depends therefore on an adequate understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of ecological processes, and their mutual interactions with social and economic processes.

The necessary scientific basis is the knowledge of the processes that create and conserve biodiversity. The unifying theme is determining the ecological, social, and economic costs and benefits of biodiversity loss and conservation.

This goal can only be achieved by a mutual understanding and exchange of information between scientists and decision-makers in conservation, management, socio-economics and politics, and an informed general public.

Mission

To foster original scientific research on ecological processes and their interactions with human actions; to develop and apply new methods and techniques for the management and conservation of populations and natural resources; to improve the scientific knowledge of managers of natural resources; to develop effective ways to communicate new scientific knowledge to non-scientists; to improve the collaboration between the fields of environmental science, economics, sociology and politics.

We at Species strive for an efficient organization, one that combines cutting-edge research and management capabilities with a structure characterized by low running costs. All our profits are reinvested in scientific research, resource management or educational projects.