The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC)

The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) is dedicated to the protection, restoration, and long-term management of biodiversity on a regional basis, and to the prevention of regional extinctions of rare plants, animals and ecosystems. Founded in 1984, IRC promotes an innovative approach to conservation. We seek to protect - and restore - viable populations of all plant and animal species within a region by designing conservation strategies powered by rich, geographically-distributed data. Our approach adds critical value to traditional conservation strategies focused on charismatic animals or species with small global ranges. This work is especially important in regions of the world where rapid fragmentation of habitats has been experienced, or is expected. For more than two decades we have focused our field work in Florida and the Caribbean, but we are also engaged in high-level dialog on ecological restoration and biodiversity targets more broadly around the world. We work in four domains: developing regional conservation models to advise and direct conservation strategies by diverse actors across broad regions; applied conservation science for researchers and land managers; ecological restoration and management; and, engaging with local communities to bring this work to fruition in the context of sustainability.