We explored whether 15N concentration could be predicted from reflectance spectra of fresh leaves, and, if so, whether the spectral features were related to the 15N concentration on a canopy scale. Leaf scale reflectance (R) measurements were conducted in Ghanzi, Botswana using a spectrophotometer in March 2005 and canopy scale leaf R was measured in a series of successional fields in Northern Virginia, USA using the same instrument in September 2005. Results showed that there was a strong correlation between foliar 15N concentration and spectral data in both visible and near-infrared wavelength regions. Stepwise regressions showed that the first-difference of the log1/R <(log 1/R)'> could explain 76 to 92% of the variation in foliar δ 15N, providing the most reliable correlations with foliar 15N at bands near 600 and 700 nm. The present study indicates the possibility of estimating fresh leaf 15N abundance from high-resolution reflectance at leaf and canopy levels.