PA Plant Conservation Network Developing Best Management Practices

The Pennsylvania Plant Conservation Network (PPCN) hopes to advise conservationists in the state about how to best engage in conservation horticulture.

PPCN is developing a guidance document for conducting best management practices for native plants of conservation concern with assistance from the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program and the Vascular Plant Technical Committee.

Plant conservation can be a very involved process; from obtaining permits and building relationships with landowners, to understanding the genetics, natural history, and reproduction of a plant.

When completed, the document will provide an overview of relevant techniques and considerations for enhancement of rare plant population viability and maintenance of genetic integrity.

While other states and organizations already have similar best practices in place, this will be the first of its kind in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is home to approximately 3,400 plant species; roughly two-thirds of those are considered native to the Commonwealth. Of these native plants, DCNR has classified 349 as rare, threatened, or endangered in Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Plant Conservation Network webpage.

(Reprinted from the June 24 DCNR Resource newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

[Posted: June 25, 2020]  PA Environment Digest