Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) terms and definitions

Endangered resources (ER) certification program

A program that provides training and certification to individuals who would like to use NHI data to review proposed projects for potential impacts to endangered resources (including preliminary determinations regarding potential take of endangered resources).

Authorized natural heritage inventory data user

An individual who has completed training and passed an exam covering the NHI Program, data, and Working List, as well as laws and regulations pertaining to rare species and habitats in Wisconsin and the process for determining if endangered resources are present or likely to be present on a particular site. The individual is then authorized to use the NHI Data under the terms and conditions of the NHI Data License, with the exception that the individual is not authorized to use the NHI data to review proposed projects and land management activities for potential impacts to endangered resources. Examples of how an authorized NHI data user could use the NHI data include research and education projects, creating maps for others to use and interpret, identifying sensitive areas within project boundaries that need follow-up field surveys, conducting broad-scale conservation planning, and conducting field surveys for rare species and habitats.

Certified ER reviewer

An individual who has completed training and passed all exams in the ER reviewer certification program. A certified ER reviewer is authorized to use the NHI Data under the terms and conditions of the NHI data license for any authorized purpose, including reviewing proposed projects and land management activities for potential impacts to endangered resources (this process includes making preliminary determinations regarding potential take of endangered resources). The individual will receive a certificate once the certified status is granted, and will be listed on the department website as a certified ER reviewer.

Natural heritage inventory data license

A formal agreement between the department and a person or organization that authorizes the person or organization to access and use the NHI data and details how and for what purposes the NHI data may be used. The license includes requirements for maintaining the security of the NHI data. All individuals accessing the NHI data under an NHI data license must be authorized NHI data users or certified ER reviewers.

Endangered resource review

A Proposed ER review that has been reviewed and approved by the department. Alternately, an ER Review can be requested from and performed directly by the department.

Proposed endangered resource review

Proposed ER reviews detail the rare species, high-quality natural communities and other endangered resources likely to be impacted by a specific proposed project along with recommendations for avoiding negative impacts on those resources. All proposed ER reviews are drafted in accordance with the requirements in the document 'Conducting Proposed Endangered Resources (ER) Reviews: A Step-by-Step Guide for Certified ER Reviewers'.

Natural Heritage Inventory Program and database

The Wisconsin NHI program is part of an international network of NHI programs established by The Nature Conservancy and currently coordinated by NatureServe [exit DNR]. All NHI programs use a standard methodology for collecting, characterizing and managing data, making it possible to combine data at various scales to address local, state, regional and national issues. NHI programs focus on locating and documenting occurrences of rare species and natural communities, including state and federal endangered and threatened species. Species and natural communities tracked by the Wisconsin NHI Program and included in the NHI database can be found on the NHI Working List.