A uniquely ambitious effort to compile a “national nature assessment” now invites kibitzers as the study’s authors kick off a round of public sessions.
Convening for two hours Wednesday afternoon at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, scientists preparing the assessment’s initial chapter outlines will open up their work to outside scrutiny and suggestions. It’s an early but crucial step in a long path leading to the assessment’s scheduled final publication in late 2026.
“Public engagement in the National Nature Assessment process is essential to ensure we hear from the public on what we should include in this first significant national effort,” Timon McPhearson, professor and director of the Urban Systems Lab at the New School, said in an email Wednesday.
McPhearson is leading the assessment’s chapter titled “Bright Spots in America’s Nature.” He specializes in urban planning and related issues.
