Discover Life in America Information

Discover Life in America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We are dedicated to connecting communities and scientists in discovering, understanding, and conserving the natural world. Our flagship project is the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). A joint effort with the National Park Service, the ATBI is a concentrated effort to identify and record every single species within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through this work, we will learn all that we can about the estimated 60,000-80,000 species of life in the National Park, and share that information with scientists and the community. It is the first effort of its kind, and organizations all across the globe are following our example. Discover Life in America funds and organizes the ATBI, bringing some of the world’s top researchers into the Smokies. We also engage the public with educational programs and volunteer “community-science” opportunities. Check out our upcoming events to see what fun events are coming up next, or look at our volunteer page to find ways to help our staff and scientists.