Biodiversity Research Institute
Who We Are
Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI), headquartered in Portland, Maine, is a nonprofit 501(c)3 ecological research group whose mission is to assess emerging threats to wildlife and ecosystems through collaborative research. We use scientific findings to advance environmental awareness and inform decision makers.
Where We Work
Our research team works across the globe with dedicated conservation biologists conducting studies and working with countries in nearly every corner of the world.
Mapped locations are color coded by BRI’s four Centers of excellence, with stars indicating current project. Future projects in development are without stars. Blue: Center for Climate Change and Conservation; Purple: Center for Mercury Studies; Orange: Center for Waterbird Studies’ Green: Center for Research on Offshore Wind and the Environment
BRI’s Centers of Research
BRI’s research capabilities have grown in response to pressing ecological issues, from the ability to study the natural history of loons to the development of new technologies that enable researchers to predict risks due to climate change and human development.
Recent News
December 2024
NRDA Consulting Group: BRI’s Jeff Morris of the NRDA Consulting Group co-chaired a NRDA session at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America 45th Annual Meeting. Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) is a science-based legal process for determining the type and magnitude of injury to public natural resources caused by the release of hazardous substances to define appropriate restoration. BRI’s NRDA Consulting Group provides expertise in environmental toxicology, contaminant fate and transport, hydrology and hydrogeology, ecosystem services, and ecological restoration. Learn more about the meeting here.
December 2024
General News: We are pleased to announce that SeaScribe version 2.0 has been released! Developed by Tilson Technology and BRI, and funded by BOEM, SeaScribe is a data collection tool for offshore wildlife surveyors specifically designed to make surveying efficient and to standardize data entry and output. It has been updated to take advantage of the latest Apple and Android devices on the market as well as fix outstanding errors. Learn more here.
November 2024
General News: BRI was the recipient of the Portland Development Corporation’s “Client of the Year” award which was presented to David Evers during the 26th Annual Business Award ceremony. The awards went to four local businesses for their contributions to the city’s economy. Mayor Mark Dion attended and spoke at the event, stating that “the city of Portland is proud to partner with local organizations like BRI in confronting the environmental challenges that impact our community and beyond.”
October 2024
Center for Mercury Studies: BRI’s Ecotoxiclogy Special Issue on mercury, Assessing global environmental mercury exposure in biota and potential impacts on biodiversity, has been higlighted as a reasource from the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Mercury Partnership. This special issue brought together an esteemed group of nearly 200 international scientists who collaborated on producing 18 peer-reviewed papers. BRI’s Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database played a crucial role in the development of this issue. The database is a compilation and synthesis of published fish, sea turtle, bird, and marine mammal mercury data collected from all over the world and provides a standardized and comprehensive platform for understanding mercury concentrations in biota.
Connect with us!
BRI has a quarterly e-zine titled One Drop of Water, which features stories about our science, our scientists, and the critical intersection where science informs policy. The October issue is out now!
United Nations and BRI
BRI helps over 40 countries meet requirements for the Minamata Convention on Mercury by assisting with Minamata Initial Assessments and mercury inventories, reducing mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining practices, and evaluating effectiveness through mercury biomonitoring.
BRI is an official member of the UN Global Compact and an accredited observer organization for both the Minamata Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as an Executing Agency for UNEP.
