Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Conservation ProgramsOregon, United States51-200 Employees
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit focused on protecting invertebrate species and their habitats through scientific analysis, applied research, advocacy, and education. Based in Portland, Oregon, the organization employs staff across multiple states and collaborates with scientists, farmers, land managers, and the public to implement conservation programs that support bees, butterflies, mollusks, dragonflies, and other invertebrates found in forests, prairies, deserts, wetlands, creeks, and oceans. Its work includes safeguarding endangered species, training land managers and farmers to manage habitat effectively, publishing influential research, and raising public awareness about invertebrate conservation. The organization operates within the conservation industry, positioning itself as a knowledge-driven, citizen-science–enabled entity that combines field action with public engagement. Recent activity highlights collaboration with state and local partners on large-scale surveys and citizen-science initiatives, such as partnerships with Iowa's Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University, and programs to promote free training for citizen scientists to document bumble bees. The group also participates in monitoring efforts like the Western Monarch Count, providing data on monarch populations at overwintering sites. Established in 1971, Xerces Society’s work continues to emphasize habitat restoration, species protection, and public education as core elements of its conservation strategy.