Download Biological Diversity - New York State Museum

Additional information on the activities of the BRI along with databases related
to New York state’s biodiversity can be found by accessing the BRI’s Web site at
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/bri.html. By making this information readily available,
natural resource managers will be better able to minimize potentially negative
impacts on local biodiversity. Ultimately, however, the successful conservation of
biodiversity will also depend greatly upon increasing public concern and awareness—especially
by future generations—of local and global biological diversity.
In recognition of this situation, the BRI published this book with the intent of
educating primarily high school students on the values of biodiversity. However,
considering the urgency and importance of the issues discussed, this book will,
we believe, be of value to a much broader audience.
We wish to acknowledge all the people who have assisted us in the publication
of this book. Above all, we owe the most thanks to the author, Edward O. Wilson,
who has graciously offered his writing to us. We are also grateful for all the effort
Patricia Kernan has put into creating the drawings that illustrate the pages of this
book and the cover. Finally, we extend our thanks to all those who have worked on
editing the text, including Erin Davison, Jeanne Finley, Karen Frolich, Patricia
Kernan, Norton Miller, Shannon Murphy, David Steadman, Gordon Tucker and
Lisa Wootan.
Ronald J. Gill
Biodiversity Research Specialist
New York State Biodiversity Research Institute
Clifford A. Siegfried
Director
New York State Museum
Albany, New York
February 1999
B i o l o g i c a l ix D i v e r s i t y