About

The Biological Surveys and Assessment Program (BSAP) at the Illinois Natural History Survey conducts research, monitoring, and applied science to understand and protect biodiversity. Our team of biologists specializes in the study of aquatic and terrestrial organisms, providing the data and expertise needed to guide conservation, restoration, and responsible development across Illinois and the Midwest.

For nearly 50 years, BSAP has partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to integrate ecological science into transportation planning and project development. Through this collaboration and additional partnerships with state and federal agencies, our team helps ensure that infrastructure and land-use projects comply with environmental regulations and minimize impacts to natural resources.

Our History

Our collaboration with IDOT began in 1978, when INHS scientists computerized records of threatened, endangered, and rare species for use by several agencies to evaluate environmental impacts of proposed projects. Soon after, survey botanists and aquatic biologists developed vegetation-based methods to stabilize Lake Michigan bluffs, including a test and demonstration plot funded through the Illinois Coastal Zone Management Program.

By 1980, the survey’s efforts evolved into formal biological inventories along proposed highway routes, led by Dr. Warren Brigham, to identify species protected by the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board. Early field studies included sites such as the Illinois River crossing on US Route 36, Buffalo Grove Road in Cook County, Fish Lake in Monroe County, and the Great River Road at Oakwood Bottoms. These projects, carried out under groups later known as the Further Studies Group and the Biotic Surveys Group, established a foundation of science-based conservation that continues today.

Our Vision

BSAP aims to work with agencies, regulators, and industry to sustain thriving natural communities. By providing the most accurate, robust, and accessible information on the diversity, life history, and ecology of the region’s plants and animals, we help partners across the public and private sectors meet—and exceed—their environmental responsibilities. Our work supports informed and effective decision-making. In serving the people of Illinois and beyond, we strive to sustain our natural heritage for generations to come while supporting the progress that strengthens our economy and enriches our communities.