Natural Heritage Information Centre
The Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) compiles, maintains and distributes information on natural species, plant communities and spaces of conservation concern in Ontario. This information is stored in a spatial database used for tracking this information. The Centre also has a library with conservation-related literature, reports, books, and maps, which are accessible for conservation applications, land use planning, and natural resource management. The NHIC website makes much of this information available through the internet. To learn more about the NHIC please visit the About Us section of the website.
Attention all Biodiversity Explorer users
The current Biodiversity Explorer application uses an internet mapping application framework that MNR’s technology infrastructure will no longer support. The technology infrastructure will be decommissioned in late June or July 2013. As a result, the current Biodiversity Explorer application will be shut-down at the same time. We recognize that this will impact many users. MNR is proceeding to develop a new application. Until the new application is implemented, we are implementing alternative tools/processes to assist users in accessing our information on-line. Some of the data available in the Biodiversity Explorer will be available in a new Make a Map: Natural Heritage Areas application. Further information regarding this new application will be available shortly. Information access options can be found at http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca under "Get Information." Any questions regarding the decommissioning of Biodiversity Explorer can be sent to NHICREQUESTS@ontario.ca. Thank you,Natural Heritage Information Centre
NHIC Data Sensitivity Training
The sessions, held on-line on the third Thursday of every month, are open to municipal, provincial and federal government, conservation authorities, as well as qualified non-governmental environmental organizations.
To reserve a seat for training, and additional information and course outline, please email NHICREQUESTS@ontario.ca.
Updates...
For GIS users, the rare species locations for linking to the 1km shapefile were last updated on May 10, 2013 here.
NHIC Newsletter, Spring 2012
The 2012 edition of the NHIC Newsletter is now available! Highlights of this year’s issue include:
- Forensic botany: Rare species surveys in the Lennox and Addington rock barrens
- Citizen science: eBird as a data source for NHIC records
- Biodiversity inventories in the Sandy Lake area
Update to species list...
Ontario species lists can either be accessed through Biodiversity Explorer, or by downloading the entire species list here.
Species Observation Spreadsheet
For those wanting to submit records to NHIC in bulk, the NHIC Species Observation Spreadhsheet is available here.
Islands of Life.
Latest News...Biodiversity Explorer launches.
Biodiversity Explorer is a new tool for querying records of biodiversity information within Ontario. It replaces most of the past queries available on the NHIC website, and includes some great new functionality such as selecting areas to query spatially. The current version includes information for provincially tracked species of conservation concern (including Species at Risk), plant communities, wildlife concentration areas, and invasive species. Natural Areas will be available via Biodiversity Explorer later this month. Please note that Biodiversity Explorer requires Internet Explorer as your browser in order to work.. It's available as a new selection on the left side bar of this page.