2004 Annual Report Center for Plant Conservation

8/9/2019 2004 Annual Report Center for Plant Conservation

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2004 Annual Report

RRRRRecoecoecoecoecovvvvvering Americas Vering Americas Vering Americas Vering Americas Vering Americas Vanishing Floraanishing Floraanishing Floraanishing Floraanishing Flora

20a n n i v e r s a r y e d i t i o n

years


2/38

2

Presidents message

Our story is one of

hope and action.

CPC has supported

and encouraged

plant conservation

nationwide.

Kathryn Kennedy,

President and

Executive Director,

Center for Plant

Conservation

The Center for Plant Conservation began as the first fruits of aprogressive era for the environment emerged. The First Earth Day washeld in l970. The Endangered Species Act was passed in l973. Congressadded protection and recovery attention for plants to the ESA in l977, and

in August 1977 the first four plants (from San Clemente Island) were listed.Conservation biology had not yet become a rigorous scientific discipline.In l984, two graduate students looked for a way to get more

done for the nations imperiled plants. Their idea was that botanicalinstitutions working together, guided by good science, were naturalpartners to work for restoration. It was readily embraced by leadinginstitutions, foundations, donors, garden clubs, and governmentagencies, and CPC became one of the most efficient and effectiveconservation organizations in the nation.

Clearly, we have held off extinction for many species. Floridaziziphus (Ziziphus celata) was no longer setting seed in the wild, andHistoric Bok Sanctuary restored its vigor through cultivation andselective crosses. This is just one example of many species in CPCsNational Collection of Endangered Plants that would not have had ahope for restoration without CPCs institutions.

The questions CPC asked in implementing its work, and thedocumentation of botanists efforts, have influenced the development ofthe science of conservation biology. Our three technical volumes haveprovided guidance and direction for the efforts of many. After 20 yearsof dedicated work, many of our institutions conservation officers haveinternationally recognized reputations, and a new generation is beingtrained.

Our story is one of hope and action. CPC has supported and

encouraged plant conservation nationwide. Weve given the nationthe invaluable national collection, leadership in conservation science,educated and engaged citizens, and a legacy of robust native speciesfor a healthy environment and the needs of humankind forgenerations to come. There is a great deal of work ahead of us, butour accomplishments give us confidence that we can do it.

At our anniversary meeting, when we opened the microphone toour guests to talk about the significance of CPC, I expected commentsabout these gifts to science and restoration work. I was stunned andmoved to hear that for most of these wonderful people whovededicated decades to our mission, the predominant sentiment expressed

was one of gratitude for the supportive network of colleagues,volunteers, donors, staff and board members who made it happen.I realized how powerful those comments were. Conservation

stewardship is a very human endeavor, and the real key to success isthe concern and personal resources that we count as our greatestasset. With this circle of dedicated professionals and friends, Imconfident that CPC has just begun to meet the tremendouspotential that was so motivating in our early years, and that we havea bright future. I hope you enjoy this retrospective.


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Table of contents

Perspective

In the grand scheme of time, two decades represent nothing

more than a blip. After 20 years, some plants are still in ajuvenile stage. Yet for others, it is a lifetime.So why take note of 20 years in plant conservation? In human

terms, 20 years is time to establish roots. While seeds hold valuablepotential to grow and reproduce, the conditions are not alwaysright for life. But once the soil, water, light and nutrients arecorrectly balanced, plant life has a chance to thrive. Once rootshave been established, plant life has a fighting chance. Roots implystrength, independence, and a sense of history.

The Center for Plant Conservation marked 20 years of workin 2004. The core goals have changed very little since thebeginning. CPC came out of a need and desire by its founders tostem the tide of extinction of native plants. Don Falk and Frank

Thibodeau believed more could be done to save Americasvanishing flora. Their vision recognized that botanic gardens were

Continued on Page 10

...the prevailing view

in America is that life

is better than death,

that the long garland

of continuing

generations is better

than extinction....

Henry Mitchell,

former Washington

Post columnist

Presidents Message....................................................................... 02

Perspective...................................................................................... 03

Retrospective............................................................................. 04-10

Anniversary................................................................................. 11-13

Progress........................................................................................14-15

Financials.....................................................................................16-17

Partnerships.................................................................................18-33

Leadership........................................................................................36

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PPPPPAAAAAGE 4: SGE 4: SGE 4: SGE 4: SGE 4: Stttttones Rivones Rivones Rivones Rivones River bladderer bladderer bladderer bladderer bladderpod (pod (pod (pod (pod (Lesquerella sLesquerella sLesquerella sLesquerella sLesquerella stonensistonensistonensistonensistonensis)))))

CENTER SPREAD: RCENTER SPREAD: RCENTER SPREAD: RCENTER SPREAD: RCENTER SPREAD: Running bufunning bufunning bufunning bufunning buffffffalo cloalo cloalo cloalo cloalo clovvvvver (er (er (er (er (TTTTTrifrifrifrifrifolium solium solium solium solium stoloniftoloniftoloniftoloniftoloniferumerumerumerumerum)))))

BABABABABACK COCK COCK COCK COCK COVER: TVER: TVER: TVER: TVER: Teeeeexxxxxas poppas poppas poppas poppas poppyyyyy-mallo-mallo-mallo-mallo-mallow (w (w (w (w (CallirCallirCallirCallirCallirhoe scabrisculahoe scabrisculahoe scabrisculahoe scabrisculahoe scabriscula)))))

Center for Plant Conservation, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299

3


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The seedThe seedThe seedThe seedThe seedof an ideaof an ideaof an ideaof an ideaof an idea

By Don Falk

In the earliest years of the Center for Plant Conservationsformation, Frank Thibodeau and I worked shoulder toshoulder so closely that we learned to coordinate movements

like a dance team, only occasionally stepping on each others toes.For two years prior to the centers actual founding, somewherebetween Barnum Hall at Tufts University, our apartments inCambridge and Somerville, and a library carrel in the Arnold

Arboretum, a dream turned into a seed and the seed became ouroffspring. I will always remember our first day on the job at the

Arnold Arboretum, walking around that classic Olmstead land-scape giggling with disbelief that we had done it. By which Imean that we had a job and a paycheck for six months.

It is true that the Center was our idea and originated with us,and that we played a catalytic, energetic role in its early years. Butlike any offspring, it is the years of caring, teaching and supportthat turn a precocious child into a mature, productive, and com-passionate adult. It is the collective, persistent dedication to thiscause by CPCs participating institutions, donors, trustees and staffthat has helped the organization to become the success it is today.

Continued on Page 5

Twenty years ago

when this was a

germ of an idea at

Arnold Arboretum

of Don and Frank,

Peter Ashton and

Bostonians, it justexisted on a piece

of paper. It was a

dream, and look at

where we have

goneLook at the

amount that has

been published,

and what a track

record for plant

conservation.

C.W. Eliot Paine,

former CPC board

chairman

4


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(ABO(ABO(ABO(ABO(ABOVE) Don FVE) Don FVE) Don FVE) Don FVE) Don Falkalkalkalkalk

then (circa 1985)then (circa 1985)then (circa 1985)then (circa 1985)then (circa 1985)

and noand noand noand noand now (BELw (BELw (BELw (BELw (BELOOOOOW).W).W).W).W).

Continued on Page 6

While our idea was ripe for the time, we couldnt havesucceeded without help from Peter Ashton (then director of the

Arnold Arboretum) and Jonathan Shaw (director of the NewEngland Wild Flower Society), who were willing to listen to twogreen and presumptuous kids with an idea, and put their owninstitutions on the line to support us. A few years later we wereinvited by Peter Raven to make our permanent home at the

world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden. Make no mistake

about it: without Shaw, Ashton, and Raven, along with manyothers whose contributions are highlighted in this report, CPCwould have remained just another good idea. We all owe thesepeople and their respective institutions a huge acknowledg-ment of the role they played in helping turn CPC into a reality.

The heart of CPC has always been the participating gardens.When we started CPC, you could count the gardens with activenative plant conservation programs in the country on one handplus a couple of fingers.

By the time I left in 1993 the network was up to 25. Today itstands at 33 institutions holding more than 600 species, one of themost comprehensive conservation networks of its kind in the

world today.Like any parent, I still have both fears and hopes for my

offspring. My fear for the center is that it would stay the same, thatit would resist change in a changing world, that it would fail toexplore new opportunities and new challenges because of a preoc-cupation with past forms. We must all outgrow our past. The CPCof today is not the CPC of 1984, and I believe that when wecelebrate CPCs 30th birthday it will be different still.

Since 1984, global human population has grown 31 percentfrom 4.9 billion to roughly 6.4 billion today. Global mean tempera-ture has risen around 2/10ths of a degree Celsius. Global atmo-

spheric carbon dioxide has risen nine percent a doubling rateof less than eight years from 344 to 376 ppm (to put this incontext, CO

2around 1800, before the industrial revolution, was

about 280 ppm). These are huge changes that influence the largercontext in which we practice the conservation of biological diver-sity, including rare plants.

Frank and I used to joke that CPC was just a temporarymeasure until Western Civilization blows over and life could getback to normal. I mention these changes because it should be clearto everyone by now that nothing in conservation or anythingelse, for that matter exists in a vacuum.

We also used the metaphor of the canary in the coalmine, thesensitive indicator of some larger environmental change. From thisperspective, rare plants were (and remain) well chosen thats partof what makes them both interesting and worthwhile objects ofour attention.

Rare plants, like all endangered species, reflect both biologyand society. Our understanding of the biology of rarity has

In a variety

of ways,

humanity is

beginning to

understand

that the

environment

is not a

special

interest.

5


6/38

changed significantly in the last two decades. For example,every species is rare almost by definition when it first evolves,diverging from its parent lineage. In some (but not all) cases,species can also become rare as they approach extinction, althoughit is much less clear that this is what actually happens except inunusual cases, such as species stranded on islands on unsuitablehabitat. How much do we really know about the evolutionarydynamics of species? A lot more than we did 20 years ago, but still

not enough to say confidently that we understand whether rarity isa passing phase on the way to abundance or a permanent condi-tion.

But we cant forget that species have been, and continue to be,driven to extinction by humanitys relentless consumption of theEarth and its resources. According to the World ConservationMonitoring Centre, 12-13 percent of the worlds flora (about oneout of every eight plant species) is globally rare and endangered.Half of the worlds wetlands, the most productive terrestrial eco-systems in the world, have been destroyed in the last century, and

what remains may be flooded, drained or compromised by risingsea and atmospheric temperature. The U.N. DevelopmentProgramme estimates that tropical deforestation is now proceeding

fueled by our tax dollars and shopping mall purchases at anannual rate of 46,000 square miles.

Rare species show us that the problem of the destruction ofnature or, if you will, the appropriation of nature for humaneconomic and cultural purposes lies at the very heart of Westernsociety for the last thousand years. But this doesnt mean thatthings cant change they can. In a variety of ways, humanity isbeginning to understand that the environment is not a specialinterest. For those of us who have made a lifetime commitment tobiological diversity and conservation, the struggle is ongoing.

Since leaving CPC my own path has focused increasingly onways of restoring ecological damage. In my view, and that of manyothers, ecological restoration offers the prospect of biological sur-

vival in a fragmented and hammered natural world. Indeed, I callrestoration ecological hope because restoration goes beyondconservation, beyond simply drawing the line at the current sorrystate of affairs. Instead, restoration proposes that things can getbetter; that we can recover lost ground; that we can find a better andmore sustainable resolution between nature and culture; that whathas been destroyed can be recovered if we dedicate ourselves to it.

And so my hope for CPC is that it will grow and change,

always struggling to rise to the new world that greets us everymorning, never resting on its laurels, never satisfied that it hasdone enough, always restless to climb the next mountain. You, thestaff, colleagues, and friends of CPC, are the guardians of thathope. With a sense of humility and awe, I salute your accomplish-ments, your skill, your persistence, and your passion.

Falk, the former director of CPC, is now on the faculty of the Laboratory ofTree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona. This piece was adapted fromhis speech delivered at CPCs annual meeting in October 2004 in SantaBarbara, Calif.

I have always

valued the

perspective my

CPC colleagues

have given me and

the encouragement

to continue my

conservation work.

Joyce Maschinski,

conservation

ecologist at

Fairchild Tropical

Botanic Garden

6


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7

Growth curve setastonishing pace

(ABO(ABO(ABO(ABO(ABOVE) FVE) FVE) FVE) FVE) Frankrankrankrankrank

Thibodeau thenThibodeau thenThibodeau thenThibodeau thenThibodeau then

(circa 1985) and(circa 1985) and(circa 1985) and(circa 1985) and(circa 1985) and

nononononow (BELw (BELw (BELw (BELw (BELOOOOOW).W).W).W).W).

By Frank Thibodeau

Twenty years allows ample time for hindsight, reflectionand even substantial forgetting. I know one thing,though: if Im ever called to Judgment, Ill be wearing

my CPC T-shirt to the meeting. It is enormously important workand Im proud to have been there at the beginning.

The first spark of what was to become the Center for PlantConservation happened in a basement office at Tufts University. I hadrecently completed a Ph.D. in environmental sciences, done in con-junction with The Nature Conservancy and looking at improvingin-situplant conservation. I was making ends meet short-term by editing

an International Union for the Conservation of Nature and NaturalResources seminar series and wondering what would come next.As I thought about my work on in-situplant protection, I

couldnt quiet the small voice that was having trouble with theestablished dogma of the day. That dogma held that on-site con-servation was the only way to preserve species. That little icono-clastic voice kept saying that nature reserves did not make endan-gered plants accessible for applied researchers. They didnt allowthe public to experience the plants directly. They didnt help ussupport wild populations with controlled research or give us mate-rial for reintroduction. In short, they preserved plants in the best

way possible for the natural evolution of the species, but theydidnt connect us with them.

Both the plants and I needed something more.My first act was to enlist Don Falk, a friend from Tufts. At the

time, he was the policy expert and I was the scientist. (Weve sincereversed roles completely.) We started talking in a coffeehouse inHarvard Square. The conceptual work for the center happened atone table. Someone was writing poetry at the next. The group in thecorner seemed to be plotting a revolution of some sort. As far as Iknow, our table was the only one to leave a lasting legacy.

My second act was to visit Dick Phippen, who had establishedthe fellowship I held at Tufts. Dick thought he was done with me

when I graduated, but I was back in his office, trying to enlist hishelp again. He gave me a piece of advice that has stayed with meever since. He told me that while he heard I had done well in myscientific studies, I was effectively talking about starting a business,and that in business, Things happen when one person talks toanother. Many times over the five following years I thought abouthow right he had been. Don and I knew a bit about plants and

Continued on Page 8

I couldnt

quiet the

small voice

that was

having

trouble

with the

established

dogma of the

day.


8/38

Continued on Page 9

environmental policy, but we were growing an ever-expandingorganization. I was entirely unprepared.

Dick was enlisted as the first potential trustee of the center. Donand I started talking, just as he recommended. We talked to scientists,program administrators, horticulturists, conservationists, philanthro-pists, gardeners, public relations people, artists, accountants, databaseprogrammers, reporters, to name just the first few who come to mindfirst. We talked a lot and enlisted support wherever we could.

It was the support of all those people that made the center areality and continues to make it a reality today.Don has written about the central role the Arnold Arboretum

of Harvard University and the New England Wildflower Societyplayed, so I will write more about a few of the others.

Three key events come to mind immediately.The first was at the Smithsonian, where many of the established

leaders of the day in plant conservation invited Don and me to talkabout what we were doing. While I am sure there were misgivings aboutus and the way we conceived our mission, we enlisted the unofficialsupport of many of the key governmental and nonprofit conservationorganizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The NatureConservancy, the Smithsonian itself and many others.

The second was a meeting held at the headquarters of theGarden Club of America. The club had been asked to help most ofthe notable conservation groups. They organized a luncheon to hearfirst-hand about what each of the organizations were doing. This

was heady stuff. Many of the people we looked up to as youngconservationists were there, talking about the important work theirgroups were doing. Our message, that horticulture is a central com-ponent of plant conservation, rang true. As a result of that gather-ing, GCA decided to throw its considerable support behind CPC.

Finally, there was the organizing meeting for CPC itself. Held

in Hawaii, the leaders of the soon-to-be participating organizationswere there, as were the early trustees and scientific advisers. It wasnot at all clear at the beginning of the meeting that everyone wasready to commit to this new enterprise. Ritchie Bell of the NorthCarolina Botanical Garden listened to several hours of discussion,questioning and debate. Then he stood up, handed us a personalcheck for $5,000 and threw the unreserved support of his organi-zation behind CPC. That single gesture galvanized the sense of themeeting and the Center for Plant Conservation was launched.

As a bit of back story, the first time I spoke with Ritchie, hewas equally expansive but less enthusiastic. He wanted to know

why two young guys from Harvard of all places (we werebased at the Arnold Arboretum by then) were calling him up andinviting him to participate in work he had been carrying on suc-cessfully for 20 years. He wanted to know what we had to offerthat he didnt already have. He wanted to know what we knewabout plant conservation that he didnt already know. He wanted toknow so many things that there was a point where I had the

8

Through CPC, Ive

become a part of a

wonderful family ofbotanists,

ecologists, and

scientists who are

truly committed to

the conservation of

the native flora of

the U.S. and the

world.

Anita Tiller,

botanist at Mercer

Arboretum and

Botanic Gardens


9/38

mouthpiece of the phone up near my forehead. It was clear that Iwouldnt be needing it for a while. In the end, though, he camethrough in Hawaii and remained one of the most enthusiasticleaders of the participating institutions.

After five years, I stepped down as a director of the centerand pursued other goals. Actually, I decided that someone mustknow how to organize startups and I needed to do some remedial

work. I have been building new organizations ever since.When I returned for the centers 20th anniversary meeting, I was

struck by both the changes and the similarities. Most importantly, exsituconservation is now accepted as a key component of preservingbiological diversity. Federal recovery plans regularly include off-sitepropagation. Even The Nature Conservancy has reintroductionprograms based on cultivated stock. Astonishing stuff.

At the same time, there is still too much to do, too littlemoney to do it with and an equally astonishing dedication on thepart of the gardens and so many others to conserving rare plantsfor preservation and for intelligent use. These things haventchanged.

I cant help thinking that if the 3,000 or so rarest plant speciesof the United States were instead 3,000 artifacts from the Ameri-can Revolution, there would be no question in anyones mind that

they were part of a cultural heritage of enormous importance thatmust be preserved. Maybe the job for the next 20 years is to growthe popular appreciation of the biological aspects of our culturalheritage. If it happens, it will happen because we bring plants andpeople together for the betterment of both. Thats what the Centerfor Plant Conservation does best.

Thibodeau is a business consultant and investor who lives in Oakland, Calif.He is a member of CPCs Board of Trustees.

9

The WThe WThe WThe WThe Wesesesesesttttternernernernern

prairie fringedprairie fringedprairie fringedprairie fringedprairie fringed

orcorcorcorcorchid, alsohid, alsohid, alsohid, alsohid, also

knoknoknoknoknown aswn aswn aswn aswn as

PlatPlatPlatPlatPlatantheraantheraantheraantheraanthera

praeclarapraeclarapraeclarapraeclarapraeclara, w, w, w, w, wasasasasas

once fonce fonce fonce fonce found inound inound inound inound in

grassy swgrassy swgrassy swgrassy swgrassy swalesalesalesalesales

from Manitfrom Manitfrom Manitfrom Manitfrom Manitobaobaobaobaoba

ttttto Oklahoma.o Oklahoma.o Oklahoma.o Oklahoma.o Oklahoma.

The CPC network

of gardens

encompass some

of the bestscientists and

resources in plant

conservation in the

USA.

Nellie Suggii,

micropropagationist

at Harold L. Lyon

Arboretum


10/38

the perfect places to study, preserve and eventually restore rare,native plants across the United States. The two men from TuftsUniversity believed gardens contained the right personnel and

the right places for native plants to be studied, preservedthrough seed banking, and when necessary, reintroduced backinto the wild. In the following pages, you can capture a glimpseinto the minds and memories of those founders as well as thefaithful stewards who have remained true to CPCs originalmission to research, preserve and restore native plants that arecrucial to the continued health of habitats and human life.

Time and lives are often measured by the notions of past,present and future. While CPCs past is remarkable, its presentis strong and viable. By the end of CPCs first year, 14 gardenshad committed resources and personnel to plant conservation.In the beginning, Garden Club of America members donatedtheir time, passion and money to CPCs mission. A slide show,Garland of Generations, served as a spark among GCAmembers across the country. In 1986, the traveling side show,narrated by actor Christopher Reeve, began its trek across

America with six versions that hightlighted specific plants indifferent regions. The show borrows its title from a quote bythe late Henry Mitchell, who wrote his Earthman gardeningcolumn for the Washington Post. His words hold true today:Maybe it all comes down to this: that the prevailing view in

America is that life is better than death, that the long garland ofcontinuing generations is better than extinction. In the long run

in the short run, for that matter all things die. But whilewe live it is our business to encourage, applaud, and stand inawe of life. Because it is living, it should live.

After CPC marked its first year of existence, 20 donors hadpulled out their checkbooks to support its mission.

Today, 33 institutions commit personnel, resources andexpertise to plant conservation. While GCA members haveremained constant and committed partners with CPC, the list ofcollaborators in plant conservation has grown to include severalU.S. Department of Interior agencies, the U.S. Department of

Agriculture and private foundations that see CPC as integral to

their missions. With this sort of momentum and expertise, CPCis poised to see at least another two decades and beyond. Mark F. Barnett

Perspective

10

Applied

conservation

biology is a maze ofspecialized

knowledge. CPC

guides us through

the maze by its

publications,

protocols, and

support network. I

would not know how

to approach the

subject without the

basic guidelinesprovided by CPCs

publications.

Peter Van Dyke,

manager of Amy

B.H. Greenwell

Ethnobotanical

Garden

Continued from Page 3


11/38

11

PPPPPeteteteteters Mounters Mounters Mounters Mounters Mountain malloain malloain malloain malloain mallow (w (w (w (w (Iliamna coreiIliamna coreiIliamna coreiIliamna coreiIliamna corei) is f) is f) is f) is f) is found in the wild only on Pound in the wild only on Pound in the wild only on Pound in the wild only on Pound in the wild only on Peteteteteters Mounters Mounters Mounters Mounters Mountain near Narroain near Narroain near Narroain near Narroain near Narrows, Vws, Vws, Vws, Vws, Vaaaaa.....

CPC anniversary

celebration focuses

on past, present

plant conservation

CPCs annual meeting is a chance to bring together conserva-tion officers, garden directors, board members and national officestaff. Its a learning experience, a chance to strengthen friendships, atime to take stock of where CPC is, and determine the direction it isheading.

Conservation officers from participating institutions givepresentations on their work, board members learn about the finanicalhealth and direction of CPC, and national office staff highlight the

work done over the last year in the name of plant conservation andthe challenges they are embracing for the next year.

RRRRReneeneeneeneenewingwingwingwingwingfriendshipsfriendshipsfriendshipsfriendshipsfriendships


12/38

12

TimelineKey events in the 20-year history of CPC and

its participating institutions and trustees.

1982:1982:1982:1982:1982:Frank Thibodeau and Don Falk

approach Harvard Arnold Arboretum Director

Peter Ashton to consider beginning a botanic

garden-based program to conserve rare plants.

1984: CPC formally instituted. By September,14 gardens have signed on as participating

institutions. They were Arnold Arboretum, Bok

Tower Gardens (now Historic Bok Sanctuary),

Denver Botanical Gardens, Desert Botanical

Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden,

Garden in the Woods (New England Wild

Flower Society), The Holden Arboretum,

Missouri Botanical Garden, North Carolina

Botanical Garden, Pacific Tropical Garden

(now National Tropical Botanical Garden),

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, State

Arboretum of Utah (now Red Butte Garden

and Arboretum), Transition Zone Horticultural

Institute (now The Arboretum at Flagstaff),

and Waimea Arboretum.

1985: CPC institutions begin plant collectionand cultivation. Collaboration begins with the

U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a

seed storage program for rare U.S. taxa.

1986: Plant Preservation Fund launched to

ensure the collection, permanent cultivation

and seed storage.

1986: Garland of Generations slide show

tour begins.

1987: Broadmoor Garden Club of Colorado

Springs, Colo., becomes the first garden club to

fully sponsor a plant, in the National Collection

of Endangered plants, Mirabilis rotundifolia.

1988: Peter Ashton appointed president of

CPCs Board of Trustees. William Truslow Esq.

named chairman.

1988: CPC makes available the firstcomprehensive list of more than 500

professionals and offices involved in

conserving U.S. native plants. The book, The

1988 Plant Conservation Resource Book,

contained contact information on federal

agencies, botanists and data on rare plant

laws. The 96-page book sold for $9.

1989: The Abbot and Dorothy H. Stevens

Foundation awarded CPC an $11,200 grant

to fund internships.

1989: Fund-raising campaign hits $51,046,

double the amount the previous year. The

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Challenge

Grant matched the gifts 1:1.

1989: Polly Pierce, current chair of the board, joins

trustees, bringing the number to 14.1990: CPC begins campaign to raise $1.5

million for plant sponsorships with a lead gift

from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

1991: CPC moves to the Missouri Botanical

Garden. Peter Raven, director of the garden,

praises the relocation. The Plant

Conservation Fund stands at over $750,000.

1991: CPC signs a Memorandum of

Understanding with the Bureau of Land

Management.

1991: Ann B. Fordyce chosen as president of

the Board of Trustees.

A n n u a l m e e t i n g

2 0 0 4

Family reunions can

often be a chance forrenewal, reconnectingwith old faces, and meet-ing new ones.

CPCs anniversaryannual meeting wasntmuch different.

The founders of CPCand other early staff

members joined the newfaces of CPC for a night ofnostalgia to talk about how

A vieA vieA vieA vieA view from the Santw from the Santw from the Santw from the Santw from the Santa Barbara Bota Barbara Bota Barbara Bota Barbara Bota Barbara Botanic Garden.anic Garden.anic Garden.anic Garden.anic Garden.

MilestMilestMilestMilestMilestone marone marone marone marone markkkkkedededededamid wine countramid wine countramid wine countramid wine countramid wine countryyyyy

ExExExExExecutivecutivecutivecutivecutive Directe Directe Directe Directe Director Kor Kor Kor Kor Kathrathrathrathrathryn Kyn Kyn Kyn Kyn Kennedyennedyennedyennedyennedy

(cent(cent(cent(cent(center) speaks with conserer) speaks with conserer) speaks with conserer) speaks with conserer) speaks with conservvvvvationationationationationofofofofofficerficerficerficerficers Anits Anits Anits Anits Anita Tiller (lefa Tiller (lefa Tiller (lefa Tiller (lefa Tiller (left) and St) and St) and St) and St) and Sttttteeeeevvvvveeeee

Clemants.Clemants.Clemants.Clemants.Clemants.

CPC influenced their lives and careers. Former staffers Don Falk, FrankThibodeau, Peggy Olwell, and Loyal Mehrhoff reiterated how CPC stillcontinues to make a difference in plant conservation and how the originalconcept has been validated and affirmed throughout the years. From the small

beginnings of 14 institutions by September 1984, CPC has grown to 33


13/38

1991: Genetics and Conservation of Rare

Plants, co-edited by Don Falk and Kent

Holsinger, is published.

1992: Hurricanes batter member institutions

Fairchild Tropical Garden, Miami, Fla., and

National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai,

Hawaii.

1992: CPC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service sign a cooperative agreement to assist

in funding a conference on reintroduction,

which led to CPCs second book.

1993: CPC hosts conference, Restoring

Diversity: Is Reintroduction an Option forEndangered Plants? in St. Louis.

June 1993: CPC concludes its five-year

campaign for the national collection,

generating $1.36 million. National collection

tops 450 U.S. native plants.

1993: Brien Meilleur chosen as president

and executive director of CPC after Don Falk

resigns to return to graduate school.

1994: CPC becomes an original cooperator

with the Plant Conservation Alliance.

1994: C.W. Eliot Paine, Emmy Seymour and

Richard (Rick) Daley join CPCs trustees. All

are currently on the board.

1996: Restoring Diversity: Strategies for

Reintroduction of Endangered Plants, edited

by Don Falk, Constance Millar, and Peggy

Olwell, is published.

1996: Kathryn Kennedy selected as member

of CPCs Science Advisory Council.

1998: Trustee Bill Truslow steps down as

chairman. Paine succeeds him.

1998: CPC receives the Chevron

Conservation Award, which honors

individuals and groups who protect and

enhance renewable resources.

1998: Paine testifies before the House

Interior Appropriations Subcommittee,

seeking increased funding for the Interior

Department for recovery work.

1999: Six new trustees are elected: Dr.

Robert Breunig, Ann Coburn, Richard Lighty,

Andrew Love, Ed Schneider and Peter White.

2000: The USFWS cites CPC in the Federal

Register, urging that agencies use CPCs

protocols in propagating federally listed species.

2000: Meilleur steps down as executive

director.

2000: CPC, the American Association of

Botanic Gardens and Arboreta and Botanic

Gardens Conservation International partner

for the first World Botanic Gardens Congress

at the North Carolina Arboretum.

2000: Kennedy named executive director

and president of CPC. Americas Vanishing

Flora, published.

2001: CPC receives the National Natural

Resource Conservation Award for Leadership

fom the Bureau of Land Management and

the U.S. Forest Service. Merrill Hall at the

Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle,

Wash., is firebombed by eco-terrorists.

2002: Robbins cinquefoil is removed from

the Endangered Species List.

2004: Ex Situ Plant Conservation: Supporting

Species Survival in the Wild is published.

Note: This is not an exhaustive listing of

CPCs history and accomplishments. Some

events may have been omitted.

TOP: BruceTOP: BruceTOP: BruceTOP: BruceTOP: Bruce

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Ladeen lisLadeen lisLadeen lisLadeen lisLadeen listttttens.ens.ens.ens.ens.participating institutions with more than 125 botanists working with imperiledplants. A year after CPC began, there were 40 plants in the National Collectionof Endangered Plants. In 2004, there were 625.

But the annual meeting is also a chance for conservation officers togo through training to sharpen their skills and learn new techniques they

can apply in their work. Expanding the conservation officers educationin the best science is a key component to the gathering.

13


14/38

The vision for CPC was set out in a story headlined A new

response to endangerment by Frank Thibodeau and Don Falk inthe January 1985 issue of The Public Garden. Throughout this

and the facing page,

you can discover howCPC is accomplishingthose objectivestoday.

CPC added theCincinnati Zoo andBotanical Garden toits list of participatinginstitutions in 2004.

The team there hasbeen instrumental in

furthering research ontissue culturepropagation methodshelping save speciesthat are hard to growunder normalconditions.

CPCconservation officersEd Guerrant, KayHavens, and Mike

Maunder edited CPCs third book, published in 2004. It provides a

perspective on integrated plant conservation strategies and examines thescientific, technical and the strategic basis of the ex-situ

approach. The book outlines the role, value,and limts of ex-situconservation as well asupdating best management practices for thefield.

In early days, it was recognized thatcollecting and managing plantinformation was required to supportgood decisions for priorities, speciesselection, and monitoring our progress.

CPC staff members Kerry Walter andMike ONeil developed our customCPC-Base database system tosummarize species information and

track our ex-situcollections. CPC-Base was the progenitor ofwhat is now BG-Base, a collections management program forbotanical gardens that is used worldwide. While our softwarehas changed over time, CPC still maintains a comprehensivedatabase including information on more than 8,000 species.

14

2.Develop a data systemand species selection

system that can helpto determine which ofthe endangered plantsare the highestpriorities forprotection and tomaintain an ongoinginventory of plants in

cultivation.

1.Establish a consortiumof botanical gardensand other institutions

with the geographicscope and facilities toconserve endangeredU.S. plant species.

4.Develop a public

education and publicrelations program tomake both thescientific community

and the general publicaware of the resourcesoffered by the centerand the participatinggardens.

Establish a NationalLiving Collection tobe held inparticipatinginstitutions and seedstorage facilities.

3.

5.Develop a system offinancial, intellectualand programmaticsupport to ensure thecoordination of

conservation effortsand the permanenceof the National LivingCollection.

Responding to a call

The NeThe NeThe NeThe NeThe New England Wild Flow England Wild Flow England Wild Flow England Wild Flow England Wild Flowwwwwer Societyer Societyer Societyer Societyer Society

began a long-tbegan a long-tbegan a long-tbegan a long-tbegan a long-term program oferm program oferm program oferm program oferm program of

resresresresrestttttoration foration foration foration foration for Ror Ror Ror Ror Robbins cinquefobbins cinquefobbins cinquefobbins cinquefobbins cinquefoiloiloiloiloil

(((((PoPoPoPoPotentilla rtentilla rtentilla rtentilla rtentilla robbinsianaobbinsianaobbinsianaobbinsianaobbinsiana) that led t) that led t) that led t) that led t) that led to itso itso itso itso its

eeeeevvvvventual delisentual delisentual delisentual delisentual delisting bting bting bting bting by fy fy fy fy federal ofederal ofederal ofederal ofederal officials inficials inficials inficials inficials in

2002.2002.2002.2002.2002.


15/38

Milestones tellyouwhere you are and often howlong you have left to travel. CPCsparticipating institutions gave us their statisticsfor the year and they added up to quite a few milestonesfor plant conservation. In 2004, CPC counted among itsnetwork 33 participating institutions maintaining 625species with four new sponsorships for a total of 192sponsored plants.

1

Staff and funding

$6 million budgeted forconservation programs

1,780volunteers102,000volunteer hours126 full-time staff

Outreach

72 scientific journal publications77 lay articles315 presentationsRestoration

16 institutions provide plants forreintroductions for other partners45 sites17

institutions work on projects

to control invasive species at

49 species reintroductionswere conducted at 102 sites30 institutions work on revegetation/habitat restoration projects, including15 prescribed burns

Monitoring818 species monitoringprojects are conducted at1,648sitesEx-Situ

160new collections

were made at 98new sites

What is needed are

not substitutes, but

rather complementsto in-situprotection

that can act quickly

accurately and

decisively to protec

the individual

species in the

greatest need, that

can generate

information about

the species

requirements, andthat can provide

living plants to

potential users.

Excerpt from A new responsto endangerment in th

January 1985 issue oThe Public Garde


16/38

16

When CPC was a youngorganization with a visionaryapproach to conservation, wereceived critical support that

helped us begin our work atthe national office and estab-lish our plant sponsorshipprogram to make sure fundswould reach our participatinginstitutions regularly. As welook back over the last 20years, we want to recognizethe following foundationsupporters who, through theirsignificant financialcontributions, showed

confidence in the mission andvision of CPC.

The Andrew W. MellonFoundation

David and Lucile PackardFoundation

Edward K. LoveConservation Foundation

George Gund Foundation

Geraldine R. DodgeFoundation

Henry Luce Foundation

John D. and Catherine T.MacArthur Foundation

The John Merck Fund

The Joyce Foundation

The Pew Charitable Trusts

R.J. Reynolds TobaccoFoundation

Spencer T. and Ann W. OlinFoundation

Surdna Foundation

W. Alton Jones Foundation

Contributingfoundationsover 20 years

Plant conservation is most successful when dedicated people are onthe ground, collecting and storing seed, conducting research on imperiledplants, and undertaking restoration projects. The greatest obstacle tothese activities is the relative lack of funding nationwide. CPC has alwaysrecognized this problem, which is why we made a commitment to findfunds for our participating institutions and for the scientists who work

with plants every day.Since 1984, CPC has made

payments to participating institutionsto help fund their conservationprograms. Funds donated to thePlant Sponsorship program are

placed in an endowment thatgenerates a yearly stipend toinstitutions working with sponsoredspecies. The institutions use thefunds to support their conservationprograms. The endowment alsosupports data management andconservation activities at CPCsnational office.

Since 1985, CPC has paid morethan $2 million in species payments to

our institutions. Currently, CPC paysout almost $100,000 each year to ourPIs to support their conservationefforts.

In addition to plant sponsorshipfunds, CPC has brought more than $3million in project funds to ourparticipating institutions through our

work with other governmental andnon-governmental conservationpartners. We also support ourinstitutions grant-writing effortsthrough letters of support for grant

proposals they write and submit to support their conservation programs.Altogether in CPCs first 20 years, we have provided more

than $5 million to our participating institutions to do the workof plant conservation. These funds have had a direct impacton the ability of our participating institutions to carry outtheir conservation objectives and keep their conservationprograms moving toward greater excellence.

Firm financialfoundations

Some of our

foundation donorshave been with us

for 20 years. I think

we have proved

that their trust in us

has been justified.

Maria Bradford,

CPC Development

Manager


17/38

17

2004 REVENUE AND EXPENSES

$452,394

$40,499

$185,494

Revenue

Contributions, Friends

and Misc. (20%)

Grants andcontracts (53%)

Endowment earningsallocated to operatingfund (22%)

Other (5%)

$167,796

$478,741

$33,174

$92,181

$215,352

Expenses

Fund raising (4%)

National Office Programexpenses (26%)

Support and project

payments to ParticipatingInstitutions (58%)

Management andgeneral (11%)

Payments to CPCs Participating Institutions 1994-2004

0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 $350,000

1995

1994

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

CPC NationalOffice funding paidto participatinginstitutionsfor on-the-groundconservationefforts hasincreased by52 percentsince 1994.

New revenue to endowmentPlant sponsorships $26,000

Interest and divident income (net) $51,209


18/38

18

It is hard to believe how far and

how fast CPC has come in 20

years. CPC remains a lonely

first: First in its embrace and

approach to the mission: To end

native plant extinction. First in

the collection of data

surrounding that extinction; andfirst in the high standards

demanded by the collective

wisdom of scientists,

professional botantists and

determined volunteers. CPC

remains nationally the most

important factor in the three Rs

of endangered plant

conservation: Rescue, research

and restoration.

Polly Pierce,

CPC Board chair

Buildingpartnersh


19/38

Balance. We all seek it. Some call it harmony.Some call it equilibrium. But whatever you callit, certain conditions have to be just so for your

day to be perfect or as near as it can be to perfect.Just like plants need the right amount of water,

light, nutrients and the right place to thrive, plantconservation needs the right mix of partnerships tosucceed.

And just like well-established plants, CPC hasgrown a support system that is strong, vibrant andprolific. The partnerships that have been forged overCPCs 20 years have helped us secure a future fornative U.S. plants. Civic groups, government entities,private foundations, and individuals who passionatelybelieve in the powerful role plants play in our lives arecommitted to the same ideal: native plants are animportant part of ensuring a brighter future.

In the beginning, Garden Club of Americamembers devoted their time, energy and skills tospread the word about imperiled native plants. Thou-sands of members have contributed to CPCs missionand have stayed with us. Without GCA, we wouldnthave seen our 20th anniversary.

Government partnerships have strengthenedCPC over the years. While the public trust is safe-guarded by federal and state agencies, CPC is one ofthe partners helping ensure the continuing legacy onpublic lands. The U.S. Department of Agricultures

Agricultural Research Service and U.S. Forest Service,the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National ParkService, and the Bureau of Land Management have all

partnered with CPC.Private foundations, individuals and other col-

laborations are essential to the effectiveness of CPCsprograms. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation hashelped CPC build capacity for progress over the past20 years. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,a private, nonprofit group, is committed to sustaininghealthier habitats and enhanced stewardship of ournatural resources. With NFWFs partnership, CPC hasbeen able to grow its programs and increase fundingfor on-the-ground plant recovery. The Plant Con-

servation Alliance has helped bring together severalparties for native plant issues.The following pages provide details on our part-

nerships that make a difference in the sustainability ofnative plant populations. The work of our civic, federaland private partners form a strong system of expertise,funding and passion for the preservation and restora-tion of imperiled native plants.

19

s


20/38

Garden Club

of America

B

rains and beauty arent mutually exclusive. The Garden Clubof America and its members embody both attributes. Theirmission is to improve their communities through gardening,

civic involvement, education and conservation. Theyre not justabout pretty flowers and trees.

And the members displayed their smarts and strength by finan-cially supporting CPC from the beginning. I felt very strongly in

what CPC was doing, said Janet Meakin Poor, a longtime leader inGCA who has also served on CPCs board since1987. I thought how advantageous it would be iftwo like-minded organizations were workingtogether in plant conservation. We didnt want toduplicate efforts.

In a cooperative spirit, CPC and GCA

created the Garland of Generations, a travelingslide show that focused on the nations endan-gered plants. It was customized for differentregions of the country, so viewers from Green-

wich, Conn., to Miami, Fla., to San Diego, Calif.,could learn about imperiled plants close to home.

The idea was to tailor the show so it wasntone plant in the tropics to get sympathetic about. It needed to be aboutplants that people could identify with from their region, Poor said.

The traveling show, narrated by the late actor Christopher Reeve,was viewed by thousands of women and men who gave generously to

endow plants from the slopes of Oahu to the mountains of Vermont.Without their continued and invaluable support, CPC wouldnot have been able to see its 20th year.

On the following pages, youll read the stories of just two ofthe women who have consistently and unflaggingly supportedCPC. They know its the right thing to do. They know its smart tosave the earths natural beauty.

Janet MeakinJanet MeakinJanet MeakinJanet MeakinJanet Meakin

PPPPPoorooroorooroor

LikLikLikLikLike a moe a moe a moe a moe a mother and cther and cther and cther and cther and childhildhildhildhild

Mary Pattersons the mothering type. And when it comes toplant conservation, she comes by it naturally.

At least thats how she describes her continued financialsupport of CPC. The Greenwich, Conn., resident has been givingto CPC since the beginning when the Garden Club of Americabegan its push for every club in the United States to see the Gar-land of Generations slide presentation noting the importance of


Connecticut wConnecticut wConnecticut wConnecticut wConnecticut womans deomans deomans deomans deomans devvvvvoooootion is no accidenttion is no accidenttion is no accidenttion is no accidenttion is no accident

20

I believe very

strongly in the

mission of CPC. Ibelieve that

nationally and

globally, plant

conservation is

something we must

address. If we

dont, there will be a

great void in what

we can accomplish.

When people work

collaboratively, itgives you a much

stronger position.

Janet Meakin

Poor,CPC board

member and

longtime GCA

leader


21/38

CPC: The early yCPC: The early yCPC: The early yCPC: The early yCPC: The early yearearearearears. Emplos. Emplos. Emplos. Emplos. Employyyyyees at the time included, fromees at the time included, fromees at the time included, fromees at the time included, fromees at the time included, from

leflefleflefleft, Kt, Kt, Kt, Kt, Kerrerrerrerrerry Wy Wy Wy Wy Waltaltaltaltaltererererer, Barbara Gard, F, Barbara Gard, F, Barbara Gard, F, Barbara Gard, F, Barbara Gard, Frank Thibodeau, Don Frank Thibodeau, Don Frank Thibodeau, Don Frank Thibodeau, Don Frank Thibodeau, Don Falkalkalkalkalk,,,,,

Adel HagarAdel HagarAdel HagarAdel HagarAdel Hagar, and George McCully, and George McCully, and George McCully, and George McCully, and George McCully.....

21

plant conservation and CPCs role in the endeavor.

I guess the reason Ive stayed with it is because Ive felt likeone of its mothers, Patterson said. When you get into a causelike this, you tend to stay with it. Its kind of like caring for achild.

In early 1986, Mrs. Patterson was asked to chair a GCA Spe-cial Committee, the Plant Conservation Traveling Team, charged

with ensuring that the Garland of Generations presentation,narrated by the late actor Christopher Reeve, was presented to eachof the 190 or so clubs across the nation.

Ive found it hard to say no to people, she said.It was the 28-member teams job to beg, borrow or steal

slide projectors, show the program at garden club meetings andthen ask for volunteers in the audience to take the show andpresent it to other groups in the area. The mission was to buildawareness of endangered species. We were not fund raising, but ifa little money happened to come our way, we were not disap-pointed.

Patterson was appointed chair to this committee by then-GCAPresident Kay Donahue and continued for two and a half years by

which time virtually every garden club member had seen and heardCPCs message.

This team was a wonderful group of 28 ladies who weretotally committed to plant conservation. There were past and

future presidents as well as passionate young conservationists andhorticulturists from all over the country.

The idea of endowing plants both by garden clubs and byindividuals began to catch on and actually became competitive andexciting, she said.

Here in Greenwich, Don Falk, from CPC when it was atArnold Aboretum, came from Boston and gave a stirring talk


I guess the reason

Ive stayed with it

is because Ivefelt like one

of its mothers.

When you get into

a cause like this,

you tend to stay

with it. Its kind of

like caring

for a child.

Mary Patterson,GCA member from

Greenwich, Conn.


22/38

To further the work of

imperiled native plant

conservation, CPC

builds relationships

with several federal

partners who serve

similar missions. All are

involved in stewardship

of the nations natural

resources and charged

with keeping the public

trust by conserving and

protecting natural

resources on public

and private lands.

Through these

relationships, CPC is

able to do moreeffective and

responsible research,

conservation, and

restoration of imperiled

plants. These

partnerships are

invaluable to CPCs

mission of recovering

Americas vanishing

flora.

U.S. Department

of AgricultureWhat is the U.S. DeparWhat is the U.S. DeparWhat is the U.S. DeparWhat is the U.S. DeparWhat is the U.S. Department of Atment of Atment of Atment of Atment of Agriculture?griculture?griculture?griculture?griculture?

President Abraham Lincoln founded the U.S. Department of

Agriculture in 1862 as the peoples Department. In that era, 58percent of the nations population were farmers. The USDA leadsthe federal anti-hunger effort; serves as a steward to theenvironment by encouraging voluntary efforts to protect soil, waterand wildlife; supports housing, telecommunications and safedrinking water to rural America; acts as a research leader in fieldsranging from nutrition to new crop technologies; and helps ensureopen markets for agricultural products. According to its mission,the USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture, naturalresources, and related issues based on sound public policy, the bestavailable science, and efficient management.

Web: www.usda.gov

HoHoHoHoHow do CPC and the USDw do CPC and the USDw do CPC and the USDw do CPC and the USDw do CPC and the USDA wA wA wA wA wororororork tk tk tk tk togeogeogeogeogether?ther?ther?ther?ther?

Preservation of seed or plant material is crucial for restoration.CPC works with the Agricultural Research Service to preserve seedin long-term storage in a secure place. As part of ARS, the Seed

Viability and Storage Research Unit, National Seed StorageLaboratory, in Fort Collins, Colo., works to effectively document,preserve, and maintain viable seed and propagules of diverse plantgermplasm in long-term storage, to develop and evaluate

procedures for determining seed quality of accessions, and toprovide administrative support to allow for effective operation ofthis Unit. The seed lab serves as an insurance policy in case ofdisasters that could harm plants and as a method of promotingsustainable agriculture.

22

Ex-situEx-situEx-situEx-situEx-situ wwwwwororororork withk withk withk withk with

imperiled plantsimperiled plantsimperiled plantsimperiled plantsimperiled plants

inininininvvvvvolvolvolvolvolves genetics,es genetics,es genetics,es genetics,es genetics,

seed phseed phseed phseed phseed physiology andysiology andysiology andysiology andysiology and

tissue culture. Thetissue culture. Thetissue culture. Thetissue culture. Thetissue culture. The

seed lab in Fseed lab in Fseed lab in Fseed lab in Fseed lab in FororororortttttCollins and CPCsCollins and CPCsCollins and CPCsCollins and CPCsCollins and CPCs

nenenenenewwwwwesesesesest part part part part participatingticipatingticipatingticipatingticipating

insinsinsinsinstitution, thetitution, thetitution, thetitution, thetitution, the

Cincinnati Zoo andCincinnati Zoo andCincinnati Zoo andCincinnati Zoo andCincinnati Zoo and

BotBotBotBotBotanical Garden,anical Garden,anical Garden,anical Garden,anical Garden,

both wboth wboth wboth wboth wororororork with thisk with thisk with thisk with thisk with this

kind of tkind of tkind of tkind of tkind of tececececechnologyhnologyhnologyhnologyhnology.....


23/38

23

FFFFFor manor manor manor manor many seeds, coldy seeds, coldy seeds, coldy seeds, coldy seeds, cold

ssssstttttorage can eorage can eorage can eorage can eorage can extxtxtxtxtendendendendend

viability fviability fviability fviability fviability for seor seor seor seor sevvvvveraleraleraleraleral

yyyyyearearearearears. Hundreds ofs. Hundreds ofs. Hundreds ofs. Hundreds ofs. Hundreds of

species in CPCsspecies in CPCsspecies in CPCsspecies in CPCsspecies in CPCs

NationalNationalNationalNationalNational

Collection ofCollection ofCollection ofCollection ofCollection of

Endangered PlantsEndangered PlantsEndangered PlantsEndangered PlantsEndangered Plants

are sare sare sare sare stttttored in Fored in Fored in Fored in Fored in Forororororttttt

Collins.Collins.Collins.Collins.Collins.

CPC has

strengthened our

restoration ecology

research byproviding focus on

critical species and

habitats, providing

workshops, and

stimulating

discussion on

restoration

challenges.

Marlin Bowles,

plant conservation

biologist, Morton

Arboretum


24/38

24

U.S. Forest

ServiceWhat is the U.S.What is the U.S.What is the U.S.What is the U.S.What is the U.S. FFFFForest Serorest Serorest Serorest Serorest Servicevicevicevicevice?????

The U.S. Forest Service expresses a dual mission in its motto: Caring

for the Land and Serving People. As a division of the U.S.Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service manages 191 millionacres of land, the equivalent of Texas. Established by Congress in1905, the service has expanded its original mission beyond timberproduction for the nation. It has become the worlds largest forestryresearch organization, providing technical and financial assistance tostate and private forestry groups. The service accomplishes its missionthrough five main activities. They are protecting and managing naturalresources on National Forest System lands; researching all aspects offorestry, rangeland management, and forest resource utilization;providing community assistance and cooperation with State and localgovernments, forest industries, and private landowners; achieving andsupporting an effective workforce that reflects the full range ofdiversity of the American people; and giving international assistance informing policy and coordinating U.S. support for the protection andsound management of the worlds forest resources.

Web: www.fs.fed.usHoHoHoHoHow do CPC and the Fw do CPC and the Fw do CPC and the Fw do CPC and the Fw do CPC and the Forest Serorest Serorest Serorest Serorest Service wvice wvice wvice wvice wororororork tk tk tk tk togeogeogeogeogether?ther?ther?ther?ther?

The U.S. Forest Service has initiated a Species Conservation Project asa part of the services revision of national forest plans. CPCs nationaloffice is helping to develop detailed, technical species assessments andconducting two or more blind peer reviews of 76 plant species

assessments before final documents are accepted by the Forest Service.These assessments will help in the decision-making of land managersand planners in the Rocky Mountain region. CPC finds and recruitsbotanists with field experience and knowledge of the conservationneeds for these species to ensure that the assessments contain accurateand current information. These ecological assessments will likely assistin evaluating the effects of proposed management on speciespopulation persistence. The assessments will help biologists trying tosynthesize the needs of many species and derive sound managementpractices and plans for forest lands. Objectives for the project includehelp in providing a more consistent and coordinated process forevaluating species viability in forest planning, providing help tobiologists and planners in understanding the ecology of emphasizedspecies and the potential response of individual species toenvironmental change. The project also provides a mechanism forcooperative work among agencies, the scientific community andconservation professionals to optimize resource management andsucceed in the shared objectives for conservation of diversity on forestlands. CPC is also providing partial in-kind support and matchingfunds in the coordination effort.

Amy B.H. GreenwellEthnobotanical Gardenprovides nursery spaces andplants for the Kaupulehu DryForest Preserve.

The Arboretum at Flagstaffhas partnered with the ForestService to collect native seed

for revegetation projects.

Berry Botanic Garden hasa project to collect seed ofimperiled plants on theSiskiyou and UmpquaNational Forests and isexaming the effects ofgrazing on populations ofpale blue-eyed grass(Sisyrinchium sarmentosum)on Forest Service lands.

Chicago Botanic Garden ismonitoring rare species atMidewin National TallgrassPrairie.

Denver Botanic GardensPartners for Colorado NativePlants project cooperates withthe Forest Service to organizevolunteers and monitoring ofrare orchids.

Desert Botanical Gardenstaff are completing a flora ofthe Arizona Trail for the ForestService, and are partnering ina Forest Health Grant formapping and removal ofTamarisk.

The Historic Bok Sanctuarymonitors two species atOcala National Forest.

The Holden Arboretum isconducting a Beech barkdisease project to determine ifseedlings can be bred tobecome resistant to EuropeanBeech Scale.


25/38

Mercer Arboretum andBotanic Gardensy Anita Tillehas served as an adviser onthe Forest Services reintro-duction of Neches Riverrose-mallow (Hibiscusdasycalyx).

Morton Arboretum is

conducting restoration work onthe Shawnee National Forestin southern Illinois.

The New England WildFlower Society continues itswork after the delisting ofRobbins cinquefoil (Poten-tilla robbinsiana) in the WhiteMountain National Forest.

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic

Garden has conducted rarespecies surveys for severalspecies at the Angeles Na-tional Forest and the SanBernardino National Forest.

The University ofWashington Botanic Gardensworks with several differentprojects on Forest Servicelands.

Red Butte Garden andArboretum has been workingon a monitoring project onForest Service land.

Regional Parks BotanicGarden has conducted anassessment of a possible newpopulation of Howellsumbrellawort (Tauschiahowellii) at the Tahoe NationalForest.

Santa Barbara BotanicGarden continued areintroduction plan for theArroyo de la Cruz manzanita(Arctostaphylos cruzensis)with the help of the ForestSerice at Los Padres NationalForest.

25

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SacramentSacramentSacramentSacramentSacramento Mounto Mounto Mounto Mounto Mountains in Neains in Neains in Neains in Neains in New Mew Mew Mew Mew Mexico.xico.xico.xico.xico.


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Amy B.H. GreenwellEthnobotanical Gardensupplies rare plants foroutplanting on two nationalparks in West Hawaii. Morethan 130 plants of theHawaiian fan palm,Pritchardia affinis, wereoutplanted at the parks.

The Arboretum at Flagstaffhas received a grant to helpNPS collect a seed bank ofrare and endangered specieswithin six parks in threestates.

Chicago Botanic Gardenpartners with NPS in a landmanagement intern programand in seed banking species.

Desert Botanical Gardenprovides Chisos hedgehogcactus (Echinocereuschisoensis) plants forreintroduction, and assistswith seed collection andmonitoring of rare plants atBig Bend National Park.

Fairchild Tropical BotanicGarden has conducted

genetic studies anddemographic/reintroductionprojects with BiscayneNational Park.

The Historic Bok Sanctuaryhas worked on collection andsurveying populations ofAmerican chaffseed(Schwalbea americana) atTimucuan Ecological andHistorical Preserve.

The Holden Arboretum hasassessed MichiganMonkey-flower (Mimulusglabratusvar.michiganensis)populations in Sleeping BearDunes National Lakeshore forex-situconservation.

26

HoHoHoHoHow do CPC and NPS ww do CPC and NPS ww do CPC and NPS ww do CPC and NPS ww do CPC and NPS wororororork tk tk tk tk togeogeogeogeogether?ther?ther?ther?ther?

The National Park Service initiated a partnership in 2003 with CPC tocollect seed for imperiled and at-risk plant species known from nationalparks. The purpose of this project is to collect and store geneticallyrepresentative plant materials of imperiled plant species for futurerestoration. Collected plant material will act as a genetic safety net in theevent of a loss of a species from a national park. Seed collected fromthis project will be stored long-term at the National Center for Genetics

Resource Preservation (NCGRP) lab in Fort Collins, Colo. NPSrecognized that CPCs participating institutions could provide thepersonnel and expertise to locate, collect, and document the materials toensure they can be used in the future. The project involves 29 CPCinstitutions, making 227 collections of plant materials for 179 species in60 national parks across the continental United States and Hawaii. Plantmaterial is being collected by participating institutions. The project isexpected to be complete by the end of 2007. CPC is providing matchingfunds and in-kind match for this effort.

What is the National PWhat is the National PWhat is the National PWhat is the National PWhat is the National Pararararark Serk Serk Serk Serk Service?vice?vice?vice?vice?

Created in 1916 with the stroke of President Woodrow Wilsons pen,the National Park Service is probably the most well-known federalentity. The Organic Act states that the service shall promote andregulate the use of Federal areas known as national parks,monuments and reservations. The act goes on to say that thepurpose of these sites is to conserve the scenery and the natural andhistoric objects and wild life therein and to provide for the enjoymenof the same in such manner and by such means as will leave themunimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. NPS manages384 sites covering more than 83 million acres in 49 states, the Districtof Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the

Virgin Islands. The United States forged the way for parks when in1872, Congress established Yellowstone National Park.

Web:www.nps.gov

National Park Service

MeredithMeredithMeredithMeredithMeredithGosejohanGosejohanGosejohanGosejohanGosejohan

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27/38

Mercer Arboretum andBotanic Garden is partneringwith NPS to amend the na-tional seed bank for the feder-ally endangered Texas trailingphlox (Phlox nivalis ssp.texensis), and is advising NPSstaff on an introduction at BigThicket National Preserve.

Missouri Botanical Gardenis involved in the introduc-tion of Pynes ground-plum(Astragalus bibullatus)onproperty in Tennesseemanaged by NPS.

The New York BotanicalGarden has begun theprocess of obtaining permitsto collect swamp-pink

(Helonias bullata) seed atBlue Ridge National Park.

North Carolina BotanicalGarden is re-collecting all ofits National Collection taxathrough a CPC/NPS grant.Permits to collect on NPSlands have been obtainedand collectors have beengiven guidelines on how andwhen to obtain the seed.

The New England WildFlower Society surveyednine ponds on the Cape CodNational Seashore.

The University ofWashington Botanic Gardensconducts rare plant seedcollection at RooseveltNational Recreation Area.

Santa Barbara BotanicalGarden has provided dataon the distribution of eightthreatened and endangeredspecies within ChannelIslands National Park andbegan developing a coop-erative plan for recovery forthree species.

27

The fThe fThe fThe fThe federally lisederally lisederally lisederally lisederally listtttted Wed Wed Wed Wed Wesesesesestttttern lily (ern lily (ern lily (ern lily (ern lily (Lilium occidentLilium occidentLilium occidentLilium occidentLilium occidentalealealealeale) is f) is f) is f) is f) is foundoundoundoundound

adjacent tadjacent tadjacent tadjacent tadjacent to National Po National Po National Po National Po National Pararararark Serk Serk Serk Serk Service land in the Wvice land in the Wvice land in the Wvice land in the Wvice land in the Wesesesesest and is int and is int and is int and is int and is in

CPCs National Collection of Endangered Plants.CPCs National Collection of Endangered Plants.CPCs National Collection of Endangered Plants.CPCs National Collection of Endangered Plants.CPCs National Collection of Endangered Plants.


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U.S. Fish and

Wildlife ServiceWhat is theWhat is theWhat is theWhat is theWhat is the U.S. Fish and WildlifU.S. Fish and WildlifU.S. Fish and WildlifU.S. Fish and WildlifU.S. Fish and Wildlife Sere Sere Sere Sere Service?vice?vice?vice?vice?

While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is a relatively new

bureau within the Department of Interior (transferred there fromthe Department of Commerce in 1939), it is by no means any lessimportant than other bureaus. FWS manages 93 million acres thatmake up the National Wildlife Refuge System of more than 520refuges and thousands of small wetlands and other managementareas. FWS also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fisheryresource offices, and 78 ecological services field stations (localoffices) where agency staff work to conserve the nations naturalresources. The agency is charged with conserving, protecting andenhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their natural habitats. Theagencys major responsibilities are protecting migratory birds,endangered species, certain marine mammals, and fish. The agency isalso responsible for the listing, recovery and delisting of speciesunder the Endangered Species Act.

Web: www.fws.gov

HoHoHoHoHow do CPC and USFWw do CPC and USFWw do CPC and USFWw do CPC and USFWw do CPC and USFWS wS wS wS wS wororororork tk tk tk tk togeogeogeogeogether?ther?ther?ther?ther?

Conservation officers at CPC participating institutions areworking with U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials on a multitude ofprojects. The network has pledged to help USFWS withrecovery plans for native species that are federally endangeredor threatened under the Endangered Species Act, proposed orcandidate species, and state species of special concern orinterest. Both CPC and USFWS work together to supportresearch, education, conservation and the transfer ofinformation and technology to enhance the formal recoveryprogram and the recovery planning process for federally listedspecies. Conservation officers work with USFWS staff to obtainpermits to collect seed or plant material to enhance existingsupplies of plants or material suitable for seed banking. Havingthe participation of the CPC network has been invaluable inachievingex- situconservation goals for some of our mostendangered species, said Connie Rutherford, a botanist with the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in California. Its a huge relief toknow that, at the same time we are working in the field to find

ways of improving habitat conditions for the last remainingpockets of these rare species, the entire genetic diversity ofthose species is being safeguarded at (participating institutions,including the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden), and will beavailable for restoration and outplanting efforts when the timeis right.

Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethno-botanical Garden has teamedwith USFWS in collecting,propagating, and outplantingPritchardia schattaueri,resulting in more than 800 ofthis rare fan palm growing onstate and The NatureConservancy land.

Berry Botanic Gardencontracted with the USFWS todevelop a genetic manage-ment plan for the Western lily(Lilium occidentale).

Chicago Botanic Gardenhas conducted research andreintroduction work on theprairie white-fringed orchid(Platanthera leucophaea) on

USFWS land.

Denver Botanic Gardens iscooperating with USFWS atthe Rocky Mountain ArsenalNational Wildlife Refuge toreintroduce Texas bluebell(Eustoma grandiflorum) andorganize noxious weedcontrol with seasonal em-ployees and at-risk children.

Fairchild Tropical BotanicGarden has received funding

from USFWS to expand itsrecovery efforts with beach

jacquemontia (Jacquemontiareclinata) and Crenulate lead-plant (Amporha herbacea var.crenulata).

The Historic Bok Sanctuaryhas worked on introductions ofLakelas mint (Dicerandraimmaculata) in St. Lucie County.

Holden Arboretum hasparticipated in discussions onan introduction of NorthernMonkshood (Aconitumnoveborasense) with Ohiostate and local agencies, andthe Cincinnati Zoo andBotanic Gardens.

28


29/38

Honolulu Botanical Gardensmaintains an ex-situconservation collection ofspecies from land managedby USFWS, the U.S. Armyand the state.

Harold L. Lyon Aboretumhas stored germplasm and

propagated endangeredspecies on USFWS and U.S.Army land.

Mercer Arboretum andBotanic Garden haspartnered with USFWS for aleastern Texas species in theNational Collection.

The New England WildFlower Society has surveyed

populations of the federallylisted small whorled pogonia(Isotria medeoloides),collected seed of the federallylisted sandplain false fox-glove (Agalinis acuta), andworked on the restoration ofthe federally listed Jesupsmilkvetch (Astragalusrobbinsiivar.jesupii).

Rancho Santa Ana BotanicGarden has participated in

the Ventura Marsh MilkvetchRecovery Plan Task Force.

Red Butte Garden andArboretum has partneredwith the USFWS on areintroduction of Clayphacelia (Phaceliaargillacea).

San Antonio BotanicalGarden is producing plants

of South Texas ambrosia(Ambrosia cheiranthifolia)reintroduction on USFWSland.

Santa Barbara BotanicalGarden has provided infor-mation to USFWS on rarespecies of the Californiacentral coast region.

29

The Rams head ladyThe Rams head ladyThe Rams head ladyThe Rams head ladyThe Rams head lady-slipper-slipper-slipper-slipper-slipper

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Genetics and ConserGenetics and ConserGenetics and ConserGenetics and ConserGenetics and Conservvvvvation ofation ofation ofation ofation of

Rare Plants.Rare Plants.Rare Plants.Rare Plants.Rare Plants.


30/38

Bureau of Land

ManagementWhat is theWhat is theWhat is theWhat is theWhat is the Bureau of Land Management?Bureau of Land Management?Bureau of Land Management?Bureau of Land Management?Bureau of Land Management?

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages more than 260

million surface acres of Americas public lands, primarily in 11 westernstates, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, NewMexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. The stated mission of BLM is tosustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for theuse and enjoyment of present and future generations. As an agency ofthe Department of Interior, BLM also manages 300 million acres ofmineral estate throughout the nation. While the lands were historicallyheld mainly for the commodities extracted from them, the bureaumaintains some of its holdings for the recreational, natural, historical andcultural benefits they hold. Within BLMs surface lands, 55 million acresare forests and woodlands, including 11 million acres of commercial

forests and 44 million acres of woodlands. The agency is responsiblefor managing the habitats for more than 600 federally listed speciesand more than 1,500 senstive species. BLMs Fish, Wildlife andBotany Group oversees the outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, miningdevelopment and energy production. BLM provides advice, guidanceand information for the protection, conservation and improvement offish, wildlife and botanical resources. Addtionally, BLM works onrecovery of listed plants and development of native plant materialsthrough the Plant Conservation Program.

Web:www.blm.gov

HoHoHoHoHow do CPC and BLM ww do CPC and BLM ww do CPC and BLM ww do CPC and BLM ww do CPC and BLM wororororork tk tk tk tk togeogeogeogeogether?ther?ther?ther?ther?

CPC has had a cooperative agreement with BLM since 1991.Wildfires ravage the western landscapes frequently. Shortages of nativeplant materials are troublesome. BLM is providing funding to CPCparticipating institutions to assist in collection to establish stockmaterials of native plants. The Chicago Botanic Garden completedliterature reviews of widespread native species that might be useful inrestoration projects and also began some restorations tests. Berry BotanicGarden completed germination tests on seed from 26 populations todetermine the seeds viability and long-term storage capability. Other CPCinstitutions are working on BLMs Seeds of Success project to collectnative seed to increase the amount of seed available for use in stabilizing,

rehabilitating and restoring plants to the wild. BLM has also supportedoutreach programs, such as Celebrating Wildflowers, a programaimed at educating the public about native plants and their value. In2004, CPC expanded its relationship with BLM to include anassessment of ex-situmaterials available for BLM species ofconservation concern, an assessment of monitoring efforts onBLM lands and help in the organizing of a national meeting ofnon-federal cooperators for the Plant Conservation Alliance.

The Arboretum at Flagstaffis working on Seeds ofSuccess to collect nativeseed to use in restorationafter wildfires.

Berry Botanic Garden workswith the national, state anddistrict offices of BLM, includ-ing a reintroduction, seedcollecting, monitoring, andprocessing and storing seed.

Chicago Botanic Gardenrecruits, trains and managesa land management internprogram where field work iscompleted on BLM lands.Staff at Chicago have alsoworked on restorationgenetics ofPenstemon andEriogonum species in the

Great Basin.Denver Botanic Gardens isworking with BLM on moni-toring four rare plant speciesthroughout Colorado.

Desert Botanical Garden isworking on a flora of the AguaFria National Monument,assisting with rare plantmonitoring and is involved inSeeds of Success.

Lady Bird JohnsonWildflower Center is workingon Seeds of Success.

Two graduate students atRancho Santa Ana BotanicGarden have completed twofloristic studies on BLM lands.

University of WashingtonBotanic Gardens is working onSeeds of Success.

Red Butte Garden and

Arboretum is conducting amonitoring project with BLM fortwo candidates species and isworking on Seeds of Success.

Regional Parks BotanicGarden completed a floristicstudy on Monoline Ridge andnearby areas in FresnoCounty, Calif.

30


31/38

31

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the remainingthe remainingthe remainingthe remainingthe remainingwild populationswild populationswild populationswild populationswild populations

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land.land.land.land.land.

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WWWWWesesesesest.t.t.t.t.

CPC and its

participating

institutions have

consistently

provided practical

information on

ex-situconservation

Documents

2004 Annual Report Center for Plant Conservation