Pacific Biodiversity Institute

What Pacific Biodiversity Institute does

Pacific Biodiversity Institute (PBI) was a 501(c)(3)-type nonprofit conservation science organization founded in 1993 by Peter Morrison and Aileen Jeffries and headquartered in Winthrop, in Washington's Methow Valley. It served conservation organizations, public agencies, and land trusts by delivering science-based decision support for protecting forests, rivers, deserts, wetlands, and imperiled wildlife across the Pacific Northwest and select South American landscapes (notably in Argentina and Chile).

PBI's core technical platform combined ESRI ArcGIS (including ESRI Model Builder) for spatial analysis and wildland delineation with Google Maps API–driven interactive webmaps that overlaid custom GIS datasets on Google Earth and Google Maps basemaps. Its product portfolio included downloadable GIS data products, conservation assessments, field studies and landscape analyses, conservation prioritization decision support systems, citizen-science research initiatives (e.g., the Western Gray Squirrel Research Project using hair-tube surveys and camera traps), wildlife monitoring videos, and published reports and maps. Methodologies included non-invasive wildlife surveys, habitat modeling, and systematic spatially explicit prioritization frameworks designed to identify high-conservation-value parcels before resources were exhausted.

PBI's business model was that of a grant- and partnership-funded micro-nonprofit rather than a commercial entity: it did not charge for its webmaps, GIS datasets, or publications, and no pricing model, revenue figures, or external funding rounds are disclosed. Primary go-to-market channels were direct technical assistance to public agencies, citizen-science volunteer programs, scientific publications, and a Facebook presence. The organization operated from 1993 until 2017, ceased active operations after 24 years, and reestablished pacificbio.org in January 2019 as a legacy archive to preserve its historical work.

Name

Pacific Biodiversity Institute

Legal name

Pacific Biodiversity Institute

Website

https://pacificbio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pacific Biodiversity Institute was a Washington-state nonprofit (1993–2017) that used GIS-based mapping and field studies to deliver conservation prioritization science for public agencies, land trusts, and conservation NGOs in the Pacific Northwest and South America; it is now a legacy archive site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Science Services

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAB

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAGAA

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYEUAHAHAA

Terrestrial Ecology & Habitat Surveys

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Ecology, Biodiversity & Natural Resource Assessments

SECONDARYEUAHAHAE

Biodiversity Baseline Studies & Long-Term Monitoring Programs

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Ecology, Biodiversity & Natural Resource Assessments

Keywords

• Conservation science research
• GIS mapping services
• Wildlife habitat analysis
• Conservation prioritization planning
• Biodiversity field surveys

Headquarters

HQ city

Anacortes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pacific Biodiversity Institute fundamentally provides conservation science research, GIS-based spatial analysis, and field survey services focused on biodiversity, wildlife, and wildland landscapes. Its offerings include interactive webmaps and downloadable GIS data products, conservation prioritization and planning services, wildlife species and habitat assessments, and citizen science-based field studies. Customers are conservation organizations, public agencies, and land trusts that need spatially explicit, science-based input to guide conservation protection and resource management decisions.

Product overview

Pacific Biodiversity Institute offered a portfolio of conservation science products and services centered on GIS-based mapping, conservation prioritization, and field research. The core offerings included interactive Webmaps displaying custom GIS data, downloadable GIS Data Products for wildland and habitat analysis, and Conservation Prioritization and Planning Services using spatial analysis to identify high-value conservation areas. Specialized research initiatives like the Western Gray Squirrel Research Project combined citizen science with field studies. Technical services encompassed Field Studies and Landscape Analysis, Conservation Assessments, and Wildlife Monitoring using camera traps. Digital products included Maps, Publications, and Reports documenting scientific findings. The organization operated from 1993 to 2017 and is now in legacy preservation mode.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Webmaps Interactive webmaps powered by Google Maps API that display custom GIS datasets overlaying Google Earth and Google Maps backgrounds, with clickable points, lines, and polygons for conservation data. Targeted at conservation organizations, public agencies, and land trusts seeking spatially explicit conservation information.
• GIS Data Products Geographic information system datasets including wildland delineation, roadless area mapping, wildlife habitat data, and conservation priority analysis available for download. Intended for conservation organizations, public agencies, and researchers who need spatial data for conservation planning.
• Conservation Prioritization and Planning Services Science-based assessment of conservation opportunities using systematic, objective approaches to identify high-value conservation areas for partners and public agencies. Includes decision support systems that iteratively incorporate stakeholder priorities.
• Field Studies and Landscape Analysis Scientific field research services including wildlife habitat modeling, fire ecology studies, and landscape-level ecological assessments delivered to conservation organizations and public agencies.
• Conservation Assessments Evaluation of conservation opportunities and ecosystem services to support land management and protection decisions for government agencies, conservation organizations, and land trusts.
• Maps and Publications Conservation maps, reports, books, and CDs documenting research findings, wildland delineations, and scientific analyses, available for purchase from PBI.

Quantifiable outcome

• Science-based conservation prioritization helps ensure limited resources protect the most areas with highest biodiversity and value to people, rather than exhausting resources in a more random fashion using reactionary approaches.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Adventurers and Scientists for ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2011Collaborative endeavor arranged by Gregg Treinish and his organization Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation to collect geotagged photographs and biodiversity information during the Tres Amigas expedition hiking the length of South America.
• Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBI worked in partnership with Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife conducting non-invasive hair-tube distribution surveys and using wildlife cameras to track western gray squirrels, aiding in a three-year survey to determine squirrel distribution and population status throughout the state.
• Methow ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Methow Conservancy was especially interested in the western gray squirrel project for informing landowners about stewardship throughout the Methow Valley, collaborating on landowner engagement for wildlife conservation.
• North Cascade Conservation Council / American Alps Legacy ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBI published webmaps illustrating the American Alps Legacy Proposal for expanding North Cascades National Park, supporting conservation advocacy efforts for park expansion.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Earthworks: Nonprofit focused on protecting communities and natural systems from extractive industries using scientific research, GIS mapping, and field investigations — directly analogous to PBI's wildlands and habitat mapping work.
• NatureServe: Nonprofit that provides scientific biodiversity data, conservation status assessments, and spatial mapping products for public agencies and land managers — the closest direct functional peer to PBI's GIS-based conservation prioritization and habitat mapping services.
• Center for Biological Diversity: Science-based conservation organization using ecological data, GIS, and legal advocacy to protect endangered species and habitats — shares PBI's emphasis on species-specific research, citizen science, and spatial data products.
• WildEarth Guardians: Western US-focused conservation organization that uses scientific assessments, GIS-based habitat mapping, and policy advocacy to protect wildlife and wildlands — comparable in regional scope and science-driven approach to PBI.

Emerging players

• Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation: Nonprofit that mobilizes outdoor adventurers for citizen-science biodiversity data collection; partnered with PBI on the Tres Amigas South America expedition — directly comparable to PBI's citizen-science engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO that combines scientific research, spatial prioritization, and field programs (including South America work) with government and corporate partnerships — overlapping heavily with PBI's biodiversity assessment and habitat-survey activities.
• Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife conservation nonprofit focused on imperiled species recovery and habitat protection, with significant state and federal agency partnerships — closely comparable to PBI's western gray squirrel recovery work with WDFW.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation NGO with extensive GIS, species, and habitat programs including in South America — comparable in mission breadth and science-driven methodology, but operating at much greater scale.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest global conservation nonprofits, running science-driven land and water protection programs with significant GIS, spatial prioritization, and government-agency partnerships — directly comparable to PBI's mission and methodology, but at vastly greater scale and scope.

Regional players

• Methow Conservancy: Pacific Northwest land trust and direct partner of PBI, focused on the Methow Valley; uses GIS-based conservation prioritization and landowner engagement — a tightly comparable regional peer with overlapping geography and methods.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Pacific-Biodiversity-Institute/127049920852

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Biodiversity Institute