Key initiatives of the plan include:

• Launch the first-ever native bee assessment in Great Smoky Mountains National Park – a deep dive into bee data collected through the ATBI to assess bee health and drive their conservation. 
• Develop rapid, efficient methods for measuring the health of insect populations in the Smokies and beyond.
• Build capacity to use existing and new ATBI data to detect signs of biodiversity stress or decline among other key organisms.
• Widen the organization's footprint by expanding our work in Southern Appalachia, a region renowned for its biological diversity.

“The next three years mark a significant leap in how we translate biodiversity inventory into meaningful conservation outcomes,” said Todd Witcher, executive director of DLiA. “Our Strategic Plan positions us not just to document life, but to catalyze action—building stronger partnerships, more resilient ecosystems, and engaging communities in Southern Appalachia and beyond.”

DLiA invites supporters, partners and the broader scientific community to explore the Strategic Plan and help bring it to life. Together, we can deepen our understanding of biodiversity and drive effective stewardship of our natural heritage throughout the Southern Appalachian region.

DLIA’s mission is to connect communities and scientists in discovering, understanding, and conserving the natural world. DLIA’s flagship project, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, is a joint effort with the NPS to identify and record every single species within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To date DLIA has assisted in adding 11,420 new species to the park’s records and 1,095 new to science.